JUSTIN Westhoff could have a huge say in determining whether Port Adelaide pinches a finals spot at the end of the season.
Westhoff gathered 20 disposals at 85 per cent efficiency and booted three goals as the Power comfortably accounted for North Melbourne by 28 points at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
The mobile forward also scored the equal fourth-highest score of the round (alongside Max Gawn) in the Schick AFL Player Ratings, registering 22.7 points.
After their win over the vulnerable Kangaroos, the Power – who sit two games behind North on the ladder – are now a very realistic chance of featuring in September.
Statistics reveal Westhoff has been crucial to the Power's win-loss ratio since 2014, with the forward's form closely resembling the Port's hot and cold efforts throughout 2016.
Westhoff is particularly productive in the Power's big wins and therefore Port needs him up and firing if they are going to make a finals run.
In the Power's wins by more than 18 points, Westhoff's scoring tally rises considerably with the Port forward accounting for an average of 15.8 Player Ratings points across 27 games.
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Westhoff has averaged just 8.1 Player Ratings points in the 12 games Port has lost by more than 18 points.
His drop-offs in big losses underline part of the reason why the inconsistent Power have been so hard to place since their three-point loss to Hawthorn in the 2014 preliminary final.
Notwithstanding, Westhoff moved to a career-high ranking of 28th in the Player Ratings following his best on ground performance against the Kangaroos.
The 29-year-old is set to overtake Hawthorn forward Jarryd Roughead, who will miss the rest of the season following his cancer diagnosis, to move to No.2 of all the key forwards in the competition at the completion of this weekend's matches.
Westhoff has also averaged 13.9 Player Ratings points this season, 33th in the AFL and second behind only Franklin among key forwards, to demonstrate his importance to the team.
According to Champion Data, Westhoff is ranked above average in metres gained, marks, contested possessions, score assists, score involvements, disposals and pressure applied.
He has averaged 17 disposals and kicked 20 goals, ranked fourth at the Power. The versatile big man is ranked first at the Power for marks, first for goal assists and second for contested marks.
If Westhoff can produce consistently strong performances in the lead up to September, Ken Hinkley's side is a huge chance of knocking the Roos off their perch and scraping into the top eight.
