Former Blue Bryce Gibbs has gone in-depth with his predictions for the two South Australian AFL teams for 2023.
Speaking on SEN’s Saturdays in SA, Gibbs broke down his expectations for both the Power and the Crows, where each side will fit in the ladder and their crucial players for next season.
See Gibbs’ breakdown below:
Port Adelaide Power
“I think Port will find themselves back in the top eight,” Gibbs said.
“Obviously after a slow start this year going nought and five it was always going to be a struggle for them to get back from that and they nearly pulled it off really late.
“They only missed the eight by a game or two when it was all said and done.
“A couple of key injuries, I think Scott Lycett was a big loss, to not have your number one ruckman although they did find a way and found one in Jeremy Finlayson to step into that role and did unbelievably well.”
“We saw Connor Rozee take his game to another level by playing in the midfield, I think players like Zak Butters and Josh Sinn have got enormous upside and can have a similar jump in their careers like Rozee did this year.
“We’ve seen Jason Horne-Francis, the best kid in the land only 12 months ago, come across, little bit of an injury setback with some surgery which will hamper his pre-season a little bit.
“I think he’s well and truly determined to come and prove a few wrong and I think he’s going to be in for a big year.
“Port are going to be big jumpers this year, and I think they’ll find themselves in the top eight.”
Adelaide Crows
“Adelaide, I see them improving as well,” he said.
“I was unsure on the Crows this year and some of their list decisions and playing people in certain positions.
“What you get from the Crows is you get effort, you get energy and effort and obviously with Rankine coming in, he’s one like Butters and Sinn that can jump.
“We already know his X-factor, we know how classy he is, how composed he is but I think they’re going to play him more in the midfield.
“You think of the (Jordan) De Goey type players, the forward x-factors players that go into the midfield, create havoc, run out of stoppage, burst out of stoppage.
“I think Josh Rachele will be better off in his second year, so they’ve done well, their forward line looks very potent.
“Obviously (Darcy) Fogarty took his game to another level, Tex (Walker) by all reports has been training the house down again, (Riley) Thilthorpe will be ready for the run again so I think that their forward line and some of their mids will get the Crows humming again.
“Although I don’t think they’re going to finish in the top eight, I think they’re going to be in that next sort of bracket, that eight to ten, eight to eleven type range.
“The only thing that concerns me from an Adelaide point of view is the defence, they did unbelievably well and proved people like myself week in week out that they could hold up.
“Jordon Butts, (Josh) Worrell showed some signs, Nick Murray, these guys I thought they might struggle against some of the key big power forwards… but they held up unbelievably well.
“If they can do that again, that will obviously hold them in good stead but I’m just worried about Adelaide’s defence probably more so than anything.”