PORT Adelaide not only secured a top-four berth on Sunday with its win over Greater Western Sydney, in doing so breaking a four-game losing streak. The Power also did it as the third youngest team of the round and fourth least experienced.
The Power booked a finals double chance by thrashing the Giants at Adelaide Oval, with Ken Hinkley's side ranking 16th for age and 15th for games played for the round 22 line-ups.
With Travis Boak a late omission through illness and veterans Charlie Dixon and Scott Lycett also sidelined through injury, the Power's average age was 24 years and 313 days for the game. Only Fremantle (24 years and 138 days) and Hawthorn (24 years and 120 days) were younger on average.
They were also the fourth most inexperienced for average games played, with the premiership hopefuls averaging 87 games a player against the Giants.
Essendon (84.4 games), Hawthorn (83.2) and Fremantle (74.3) were the least on average experienced teams across the round, with the Power coming in next.
All four of the least experienced teams were winners across the weekend, with the Dockers' big experience gap perhaps part of the explanation behind the drop in their form this season despite making the semi-final last year.
Hawthorn's efforts against the best teams – they have beaten top-four teams Brisbane and Collingwood and over the weekend claimed the scalp of finals hopefuls the Western Bulldogs – despite their inexperience and youth deserve credit while the Bombers are also among the youngest teams throughout this season and remain in the finals hunt.
Port booked its return to the top four for the third time in the past four seasons but the demographics of its quality list build shows it is still scratching the surface of the talent with more development to come.
The other clubs inside the top four on the ladder – Collingwood (27 years, 174 days), Brisbane (26 years, 147 days) and Melbourne (26 years, 196 days) – all sit inside the top-five on the order for oldest and most games played over the weekend, with reigning premier Geelong and Richmond also in the top-five for both.
Round 22 average age and games played
| CLUB | AVERAGE AGE | AVERAGE GAMES PLAYED |
|---|---|---|
| Adelaide | 25 years, 31 days | 88.3 games |
| Brisbane | 26 years, 147 days | 128.3 games |
| Carlton | 26 years, 89 days | 93.3 games |
| Collingwood | 27 years, 174 days | 135 games |
| Essendon | 24 years, 346 days | 84.4 games |
| Fremantle | 24 years, 138 days | 74.3 games |
| Geelong | 27 years, 45 days | 133.6 games |
| Gold Coast | 26 years, 45 days | 102 games |
| Greater Western Sydney | 26 years, 97 days | 104 games |
| Hawthorn | 24 years, 120 days | 83.2 games |
| Melbourne | 26 years, 196 days | 128.2 games |
| North Melbourne | 24 years, 327 days | 98.1 games |
| Port Adelaide | 24 years, 313 days | 87.7 games |
| Richmond | 27 years, 16 days | 123 games |
| St Kilda | 25 years, 288 days | 107.2 games |
| Sydney | 25 years, 167 days | 107.2 games |
| West Coast | 25 years, 179 days | 98.2 games |
| Western Bulldogs | 26 years, 38 days | 114 games |
