Adelaide great Mark Bickley expects Port Adelaide to improve considerably in 2023.
After finishing 11th in 2022 with a 10-12 record after a 0-5 start, Bickley feels the Power will naturally better that result as long as they don’t endure another disastrous beginning.
Bickley can’t see such a poor start occurring again, particularly with the likes of Jason Horne-Francis and Junior Rioli joining the club in the off-season.
The former Crows captain also believes returning ruckman Scott Lycett will make a huge difference as will small forward Orazio Fantasia, provided he can regain full fitness.
“Both teams (Port Adelaide and Adelaide) are really interesting concepts when you look at them,” Bickley told SEN SA.
“Port Adelaide just got away to a wretched start last year, they were 0-5. They were a little bit unlucky.
“They lost the game to Adelaide after the siren in Round 3, then they had that loss against Carlton at the MCG (by three points in Round 5).
“They could have easily been 2-3, that could have made a difference.
“But you just feel like, from my sense anyway, Port Adelaide won’t start as poorly next year, and I think they’ve improved without too many doubts.
“(Scott) Lycett being back and most likely fit (is huge), and you’ve got Horne-Francis and Junior Rioli.
“Potentially you’ve also got Orazio Fantasia, who literally never got on the park for them last year either.
“I reckon there is four inserts into that team that are going to make a difference.”
Bickley also expects the Power to reinsert themselves into the top eight after playing Preliminary Finals in both 2020 and 2021.
While Bickley expects the side to feature in September, he isn’t sure whether that alone will be enough to earn Ken Hinkley a contract extension, with a top-four finish perhaps the pass mark for the 11-year coach.
“So, I think Port Adelaide will play finals this year, that’s my expectation,” Bickley said.
“What I think is going to be really interesting is, will finals be enough for Ken Hinkley?
“There is a (limited) timeframe for a coach and he’s been there a decade, so will that be enough?
“I don’t know whether it’s fair or unfair, but there are some supporters that think Ken has had his time and hasn’t taken the team to the Grand Final.
“For me in my head, I think it’s probably going to have to be in the top half of the eight for Ken to be able to really satisfy a lot of the supporters.
“That’ll be really interesting.”
Port Adelaide opens the 2023 campaign with a Round 1 clash with Brisbane at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday, March 18.