How going without a ruck is helping Port move the ball, and why it might impact the rest of the league

A top four fancy at the start of the year, and minor premiers just two years ago, the Power were stuck in the lower ranges of the ladder and struggled to both effectively win the ball, and move it when they had it in hand.Ken Hinkley was a man with a plan when he decided to go with a smaller team.

"We're really pleased with the end result. To be fair, we ended up winning clearances so it's a pretty good performance by our midfield group collectively to be able to," Hinkley told reporters after the game."Because we got beat in hitouts — which we knew that was going to be on the cards with us. So we managed that really well I thought."Crucially, Port was able to win the clearance battle, reading the hitouts more effectively than their counterparts.

The Power aren't the only side who have had to resort to going ruck free this year, and aren't the only side to succeed while doing so.When both Rowan Marshall and Jack Hayes were injured late in the game against GWS on the big stage of Friday night footy in Canberra, the Saints' narrow 15 point lead looked vulnerable against the two headed ruck hydra of Matt Flynn and Braydon Pruess.

"It's interesting around the ball sometimes. Sometimes when you actually lose the hitouts by that much you're not worrying about your bloke," St Kilda coach Brett Ratten told the ABC after the game. The mobile St Kilda bigs were also able to outwork the taller Pruess around the ground, and at the foot of the contest.

Winning hitouts and clearances don't always go hand in hand, but a good ruck and midfield group have some small edge in turning the former into the latter. Some sides base significant parts of their game around winning the contest.

Afl puff piece. Crap sport. Crap report.

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