After two successive seasons of preliminary final appearances, season 2022 didn't go according to plan for Port Adelaide. Marred by an 0-5 start, the Power were left to play catchup, and eventually their finals hopes diminished at the hands of Richmond in Round 21.
Despite not exceeding lofty expectations, there was a definitive promise with young stars making the next leap, including Connor Rozee who went on to make his maiden All-Australian appearance, Sam Powell-Pepper in his hybrid role as a forward/midfielder, and Todd Marshall coming of age as a young key forward.
And of course, the usual A-grade superstars in Travis Boak and Ollie Wines giving it their all week in and week out.
With the pressure cooker firmly on coach Ken Hinkley as he enters his 11th season in charge, the Power hope to avoid last season's shaky start to get on the right note this Saturday against premiership contenders Brisbane at Adelaide Oval.
Here are five burning questions surrounding Port Adelaide's hopes in 2023.
Jason Horne-Francis' first year in the AFL system was well documented and at times highly scrutinised. The 2022 number pick one showed flashes of his true potential in an otherwise miserable campaign for North Melbourne.
Fast forward five months since his trade request back home to South Australia, and the 19-year-old is primed for an excellent campaign after impressing in the practice matches against West Coast and Fremantle.
In those two practice games, Horne-Francis didn't miss a beat. Even at the age of 19, the 185cm midfielder has already added another level of grunt in the middle, alleviating the pressure of battle-hardened veterans Travis Boak and Ollie Wines.
Now with a clean slate, Horne-Francis is ready to take on the mantle as a leader among the Power's young midfield.
Robbie Gray's retirement at the end of last season left a gaping hole in its small forward stocks. One of the club's all-time greats, his presence and ice-cool demeanour in pressure situations is going to be missed. But acquiring West Coast 2018 Premiership player Junior Rioli will fill the void.
His obvious craft as a small forward is apparent, possessing tremendous tackling pressure, and crafting wizardry goals. Although he has not kicked more than 30 goals in a season, 2023 potentially is the year he can surpass that mark in a side that usually generates quick ball movement into their forward 50.
What a year it was for Todd Marshall. After five seasons of unfulfilled potential, 2022 proved to be a breakout campaign for the 24-year-old. Kicking a career-high 45 goals from 21 games, the athletic 198cm forward became Port's number one man inside its attacking 50. From round six onwards, Marshall kicked a goal in every match.
Twice he kicked an equal career-high five goals against Adelaide and West Coast, and three bags of four against Sydney, Gold Coast, and the Crows. Not only did he regularly kick goals, but his accuracy put him as one of the best kicks at goal in 2022, kicking at 75% in front of the sticks.
Speaking to the club's website in December 2021 after re-signing at Alberton until the end of 2024, Marshall said consistency would be key to his improvement. “
I want to be a lot more consistent, be able to put a good season on the board - not just a few games here and there. I want to be able to put my impact on a game, compliment our other forwards and we've got some food forwards down there so hopefully I can help them and they can help me," he said at the time.
Marshall has certainly repaid Port's faith in him.
Being a coach in the AFL is a pressure cooker. From dealing with external noise and restless supporters when results aren't going well, it's difficult to shrug off. For Ken Hinkley, he has achieved everything there is to offer except for one prize: an elusive premiership.
When Hinkley was appointed as Port Adelaide's coach in late 2012, the club was on its knees both financially and out on the playing field. Within a space of five years of reaching the grand final in 2007, the proud club had become a basket case. However, with a changing of the guard in appointing Hinkley to lead the club back to the promised land and with the exuberant David Koch as chairman, this would be a sign of positivity to arise from the ashes.
Sure enough, it did. Hinkley immediately had success, steering Port to the finals in his first year at the helm - reaching a semi-final appearance and ultimately losing to Geelong. The following year was almost the year, a whisker away from making the grand final, heartbreakingly losing to Hawthorn by three points in the preliminary final.
By far, Port was the most exciting side to watch with its electric ball movement and unwavering fitness levels under high-performance guru Darren Burgess.
A decision on Hinkley's coaching future isn't expected to be made until August, one he says the club's on-field results will speak for themselves.
“We all understand the performance industry and we're not naive to that. But what we do know is that nothing is achieved by making silly decisions or crazy decisions. We'll prepare to get the season right, and it's really important to get the start of the season right, and we'll go through the season and see what happens from there," Hinkley told The Age last month.
Since 2014, the Power has been on the end of two preliminary final losses - Richmond in 2020 and the Western Bulldogs in 2021. For all the success put in compiling a 126-87 win-loss record (59.15%), 2023 looms as the major test as to whether the fiercely competitive Hinkley remains the main man of the Power ship.
For Xavier Duursma, the last two seasons have been an up-and-down roller coaster.
Duursma's 2021 was hampered by a lateral ligament injury to his knee against Richmond in Round 4, causing him to miss three and a half months of footy. Returning at the back end of the season, the talented 186cm midfielder put together solid outings, including a 24-disposal game in the qualifying final victory over Geelong.
Last season though proved to be one of the most difficult yet in his four seasons. The 22-year-old couldn't generate consistency as form and injuries restricted him to only 11 appearances in the teal, black, and white.
However, after reclaiming his place in the final month of the season, the effervescent celebrator put together even performances, including a 20-disposal, two-goal display in the dominating Showdown win over cross-town rivals Adelaide.
This off-season was one of Duursma's best yet, having strung together an excellent body of work as he looks to cement a place on the wing with Karl Amon's departure to Hawthorn.
It's the question you ask any Power supporter and they'll say an emphatic yes to a finals appearance.
Optimism for a bounce-back year is on the cards, but dealing with a legitimate pack of nine other finalists is another obstacle to climb over. On paper, the Power have the weapons to hurt sides on any given day, from Ollie Wines' midfield supremacy, the ageless Travis Boak, a posing set of tall forwards in Todd Marshall, Mitch Georgiades, and Charlie Dixon, and a resilient back six led by Tom Jonas, which does its job without receiving the plaudits.
Add in the exciting play of Connor Rozee, hard nut Zak Butters, fearless interceptor Aliir Aliir, wrecking-ball ruckman Scott Lycett, and the even consistency of Ryan Burton, Dan Houston, and Darcy Byrne-Jones, Port have players to count upon when the stakes are high.
What it can't afford to fall into is another 0-5 hole. With the evenness of the competition, the most minor of slip-ups is likely to be a mountain too much to overcome.
The opening month is going to show whether Port has the mantle with tricky encounters against Brisbane, Collingwood, Adelaide, Sydney, and the Western Bulldogs. If it can pass those litmus tests with flying colours, then the Port will be set nicely to cause further inroads.