Zeroย Hanger's next instalment of 'start, bench, cut' sees us examine a trio of prominent medium-sized backmen.
Essendon hard nut Mason Redman, Collingwood premiership-winner Isaac Quaynor, and Port Adelaide rebounder Dan Houston culminate in three of the more impenetrable defensive-half players in the competition.
As we dissect the careers and recent form of this trio of formidable stoppers, we ponder who to hypothetically 'start' (our number one choice of the three), 'bench' (our runner-up) and 'cut' (our odd man out).
We reviewed the cases of Redman, Quaynor, and Houston before revealing our start, bench, and cut verdicts.
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START, BENCH, CUT: Shai Bolton, Kysaiah Pickett, Gryan Miers
3. Dan Houston
Houston was awarded his maiden All-Australian jacket this year; contributing massively to Port Adelaide's cause โ particularly during the Power's record-breaking winning stretch.
While it's impossible to go past his after-the-siren game-winning bomb against the Bombers as his headline 2023 season highlight, Houston was consistently reliable for Ken Hinkley as an efficient rebounding avenue exiting defence.
The Power players evidently trust the Greythorn product with the ball in his hands; his 23.4 disposals per game this year not only rank as his career-best season tally, but they also rank as elite among fellow defenders. Further, Houston's 468.8 metres gained per game in 2023 easily trumps his career average of 350.8, signifying an important elevation in his game.
While the Oakleigh Chargers product may not be as strong a purely defensive force as Quaynor or Redman, his offensive exploits trump both and hold significant value in their own right.
Thankfully for the Port faithful, Houston's future at Alberton is secure until the end of the 2027 season.
