Travis Boak is an increasingly rare example of a one-club player who resisted strong overtures from a Victorian club to come home, and instead played his career out for the club that drafted him. Perhaps he could have made a bigger name for himself joining Patrick Dangerfield in leaving South Australia, but his career will be respected for his character and loyalty if not a cabinet filled with silverware. He was always useful for fantasy in draft leagues, a solid if unspectacular starter who would not let you down. As in fantasy, so in real football where his name will be revered.
Travis Boak is an increasingly rare example of a one-club player who resisted strong overtures from a Victorian club to come home, and instead played his career out for the club that drafted him. Perhaps he could have made a bigger name for himself joining Patrick Dangerfield in leaving South Australia, but his career will be respected for his character and loyalty if not a cabinet filled with silverware. He was always useful for fantasy in draft leagues, a solid if unspectacular starter who would not let you down. As in fantasy, so in real football where his name will be revered.
Boak busts out his best
This publication has whined year after year that one of the main problems at Port Adelaide was that Travis Boak has been wasting away on a flank when the team really needed him with sleeves up, grime-streaked and shovel-ready at the coalface. Our wish finally came true in 2019, and lo and behold he produced almost exactly the fifteen points of upside we predicted in this space a year ago. He was tagged five times, beaten twice, but managed his first campaign averaging 30 disposals. Boak has never possessed line-breaking pace to escape the clutches of opponents who put pressure on him, but in the modern game that's not as much of a problem as it used to be, and he had plenty of opportunities to use his superior work rate to rack up the touches both inside and outside. He was the main reason that Port rose to the top of the clearance rankings, and even at the age of 31 there should be no impediment to him continuing to deliver early round value with CTR-only designation.
Boak still an acorn
Reversing a trend of may years, Travis Boak shifted his game slightly more inside in 2018, with his contested rate rising seven points to 43% and a few more centre bounce attendances. However, he lost a mark and a handball per game to drop five points in fantasy average, his lowest since just before his peak in 2013 back when he was a full-time inside mid. The departure of Chad Wingard might be the catalyst for Boak to return to his natural game in the engine room - less like Toby Greene and more like the inspirational Callan Ward. For the Power to lift itself into the top eight or even the four, they need more out of senior players like Boak. He has fifteen points of upside if he can find that last gear.
Boak needs to get woke
Continuing a slide of many years Travis Boak has shifted gradually from inside beast to wing or a HFF at times, playing some forward tag roles in the second half of 2017. His marks rose last year but he dropped significantly in the stats of contested footy, clearances and metres gained, and his disposal rate nowadays is five off his 2014 peak. Port Adelaide as a club has played a zonal game which can work when they play lesser teams, as they did often enough in last year's soft fixture to nearly make top four, but comes undone when up against top four quality. Boak's story is a microcosm of Port's: he needs to abandon the flitting about and work harder in the packs to secure the footy. As it is, he's mid-table like his club.
Boak ages well
A top five pick in the 2006 AFL Draft, Travis Boak has proved that he is a gun in Dream Team with an exceptional average of 93.8 this season.
The knee injury he picked up in round 11 will last about 5-6 weeks and will hurt teams that currently have him, but he is a potential upgrade option later in the season and those without him can expect his price to drop when he comes back with a high breakeven.
Boak has class written all over him with his hard ball gets, tackles, marks and plenty of possessions, and he is the next best to Joel Selwood and Bryce Gibbs in the 2006 AFL Draft.
Expect him to have a breakout year in 2010 with him getting more time in midfield with no tag, as opposition teams have so many other Power midfielders to worry about.
