Five trade targets for every AFL club: Port Adelaide

A key Cat, a pair of former Magpie teammates, a Giant ruckman and an out-of-favour Swan lead our trade targets for the Power.

Josh De Sa

STAFF WRITER | August 11, 2023 - 4:25pm

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Port Adelaide has been a dominant side for the majority of the 2023 season, perhaps only bested by Collingwood.

Ken Hinkley took his team on a 13-game unbeaten run which set the tone for the season. Playing fast footy with stars all over the field, everything looks set for a deep finals run for the Power.

With that being said, there are definitely weaknesses that could be possibly fixed in the 2023 off-season. Defensively, the side is quite undersized and relies heavily on tall defenders Aliir Aliir and Trent McKenzie. With the possible departure of Tom Jonas or Tom Clurey at the end of the season, the need for another key defender is there.

Along with defenders is the need for a ruckman, something the side has been crying out for all year long. With Scott Lycett's inconsistency with battling form and injury, a ruckman would resolve a lot of their problems.

Here are the five players that we believe Port Adelaide should target.

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1. Esava Ratugolea

The Geelong defender has been linked with a move to South Australia for just about two years in a row now. His versatility would be a great asset to Ken Hinkley's side but more so as an intercept defender. His speed on the ball would greatly relieve Aliir Aliir from having to do most of the defensive brunt work.

Still without a contract despite speculation all year, if Geelong were keen on keeping him, it can be assumed that he would already have that situation sorted. Instead, the Cats have re-signed plenty of players this year, most notably Gryan Miers, however, Ratugolea remains without a deal.

The 25-year-old would slot perfectly in the Power's backline, especially considering the possible departure of skipper Tom Jonas. There's a high demand for key defenders this season, with Ratugolea topping the names on that list. Although not a free agent, meaning a trade would be required, Ratugolea could very well be on his way to South Australia.

Averaging a career-high in spoils, marks and disposals, Ratugolea has established himself as a genuine key defender who could possibly take the Power that one step further.