King’s criticism of Port’s list and how they must attack off-season to pass Prelim hurdle

David King simply doesn’t think that Port Adelaide’s list is set up to progress past Preliminary Final weekend.

The Power’s season came to an end at the hands of Sydney 95-59 in last Friday’s Prelim at the SCG, the fourth time that coach Ken Hinkley has been able to get his side to week three of the finals without ever making a Grand Final in 12 years.

While King thinks that Hinkley has done pretty well with the list he has at hand, he believes that it’s the list and the decisions that have gone into it, as well as his coaching, which means that they’re destined to never play on Grand Final day unless things drastically change.

He thinks that the club and coach have put together a strong list without ever having enough firepower or the right game plan to go all the way.

“It’s a little bit like the Chris Scott discussion - what have you done with what you’ve got? He’s done a pretty good job with what he’s got at hand. But this is his list, because he has created this,” King said on SEN’s Whateley.

“Their acquisitions are done by their committee which he would have a major say in.

“If it doesn't have Preliminary Final integrity, this is why you run aground. 

“I think Port set a lot of things up to win a lot of games that never has the ability to win a Prelim. 

“So what are you doing? So this is why I'm a little bit critical of Port, but I’m trying not to make it all about Ken because they are full club decisions. Ken doesn't walk in and say, ‘Give me those four players’, and they go and get them.”

Luckily for Port Adelaide, they have one of the brightest young stars in the competition on their list in Jason Horne-Francis and King thinks that he’s the one player at the club that can meaningfully change things in the coming years.

Given that they already have the player to build around, King thinks that Port either need to step up and recruit other A-grade talent to support Horne-Francis, or go back to the draft and reset somewhat to pair some star young talent alongside the 21-year-old to one day build a list capable of winning a premiership.

“But you know - without Jason Horne-Francis - if they didn’t have him there, you’d look at this list and go, ‘Wow, where is this going?’,” King said.

“They have had the luxury of getting (Horne-Francis). They’ve done a great job, they had to give up a little bit to get him, I understand all that, but to me, he is the only one that meaningfully is going to change this football club in the next few years. 

“So, they need to find a way to get back in at the start of the draft, so Dan Houston maybe is that chance, and stop picking up the B and C graders. 

“Start hunting a bit higher or step back, reset and go again.”