AFL 2022: Port Adelaide pre-season news and injury wrap

Port’s insurance policy in the wake of Peter Ladhams’ departure has been better than advertised, young gun Mitch Georgiades says. POWER TRAINING NOTES

Port Adelaide is ramping up its training a fortnight from facing rivals in pre-season matches.

The Power has its internal trial next Friday and then plays Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium a week later on February 25.

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Most of the squad participated in Wednesday’s session at Alberton and forward Mitch Georgiades said the past two weeks had been a big training load for the players.

Here are some of our observations from the session.

Recruit Jeremy Finlayson is training the house down at Port Adelaide.

RUCKING RECRUIT

While Charlie Dixon is racing to be fit for Round 1, fellow forward Jeremy Finlayson is staking his claim for a berth in the season-opener.

Finlayson, who joined the Power from GWS via a trade in October for a future third-round pick, caught the eye on Wednesday – his 26th birthday – with his marking, movement and agility.

After starting his career as a defender at the Giants then making his name as a forward, he is helping to fill the role of departed back-up ruckman Peter Ladhams, who is now at Sydney.

“Jez has been awesome – he’s such a mobile forward,” Georgiades said.

“He competes really well in the air then on the ground, he’s really exciting.

“He’s going to be able to go into the ruck as well and play a key role in there.

“Today he was flying around in the ruck then coming forward and resting.

“He provides another different option.”

Mitch Georgiades has been forced to grow up fast with Charlie Dixon on the sidelines. Picture: Mark Brake

FORWARD DECISIONS

Dixon being sidelined means the club cannot test a new line-up of four tall forwards.

Last year the Power boasted a 6-1 record when it played Georgiades (191cm), Todd Marshall (198cm) and Ladhams (202cm) alongside Dixon (200cm) in attack, then had Scott Lycett in ruck.

A hamstring injury kept Georgiades from featuring in both of the club’s finals – the 43-point win over Geelong and 71-point horrorshow against the Western Bulldogs – as Dixon, Marshall and Ladhams led the line.

If Dixon, Marshall, Georgiades and Finlayson are available, there is no reason to think the Power will not prioritise four talls again, adding the ex-Giant into the mix for Ladhams.

“I think we all have the ability to play together,” Georgiades said.

“We’ve all got such different talents and ability to get up and down the ground with Todd, Jez and myself, and we know what Charlie brings.

“It’s all about trying to get it to work together.

“We’ll have to test it out.”

Silk is making an impact on returning to his first AFL home. Picture: Sarah Reed

BURGOYNE INFLUENCE

Shaun Burgoyne returned to the Power from Hawthorn in November, taking on a multifaceted off-field role that did not specify coaching.

But the 2004 Port Adelaide premiership player has been joining some coaching meetings and is offering an extra set of hands for drills as well as advice on the training track.

The 39-year-old, who retired last season as the AFL’s Indigenous games record holder with 407 matches, looked in good shape on Wednesday.

“He does a lot of our craft sessions, extra hands and stuff like that,” Georgiades said.

“He’s obviously such an icon of the game … and has got a fair bit of experience behind him.

“It’s awesome to lap it up.

“He was out there running around in a bit of the game sim today and he’s still got his tricks.

“We’re learning a lot from him.”

Burgoyne’s nephew, Jase, has joined him at Alberton after being selected as a father-son pick in last year’s national draft.

Jase already appears noticeably stronger, having been very slender in November.

His neat kicking was on display on Wednesday.

ROAD TO RECOVERY

Seven months after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, wingman Kane Farrell is moving freely and again hitting teammates with his beautiful kicking.

Farrell, whose 2021 campaign ended when he was struck down against Hawthorn, was aiming to be training uninhibited next month.

Although the 22-year-old left-footer zipped through some passages on Wednesday, he had been taken out of some higher intensity drills in recent weeks.

“Kane’s progressing really well,” Georgiades said.

“He’s moving really well around the ground on the outside.

“It’s good to have him back on the field and hopefully he’s back out there soon.”

Orazio faces another surgery, this time on the opposite knee that was twice-repaired last season. Picture: NCA NewsWire

ON YOUR BIKE

Two of the few players who were not out on the track were Orazio Fantasia and Connor Rozee.

While the Power was expecting Fantasia to undergo surgery next week for a sore right knee, Rozee was simply being rotated to ease his training load.

That is good news for him, the club and Port Adelaide supporters after having his pre-season interrupted last year due to foot surgery.

“It’s been a massive couple of weeks,” Georgiades said.

“He’ll be back out there soon, no doubt.”

SIDELINE RUNNERS

Jogging along the boundary line at the start of Wednesday’s session were another two players coming back from surgery: third-year halfback Miles Bergman and draftee Hugh Jackson.

Bergman, who played all but one match last year, underwent surgery on his right shoulder in early January to fix an issue from a previous off-season procedure.

Former North Adelaide ball magnet Jackson went under the knife in December to address a hip problem.

Port star faces surgery as nagging injury bites

Port Adelaide expects forward Orazio Fantasia to undergo surgery next week on his troublesome right knee.

Fantasia went under the knife twice for left knee issues last year but had since been nagged by a problem with his other one.

The Power did not have a timeline for how long the procedure would sideline the former Essendon goalsneak.

Fantasia was riding an exercise bike at training at Alberton on Wednesday. Port Adelaide was still working through when and where he would have the surgery.

Fantasia played 15 games in 2021, his debut campaign for the Power, after just five in an injury-plagued 2020 at the Bombers.

He would follow spearhead Charlie Dixon in having surgery this month.

Dixon is recovering after having surgery last week to repair torn ligaments in his left ankle, caused by a training injury.

The Power is hopeful the 31-year-old will be available to face Brisbane at the Gabba in Round 1 on March 19.

He is expected to resume running in about three weeks.

Mitch Georgiades, who kicked 32.17 last season, second only at Port Adelaide to Dixon’s 48.24, said he was ready to step up if Dixon missed the start of the season.

Georgiades said he had been relishing the chance to spend more time on star defenders Tom Jonas and Aliir Aliir in the ex-Gold Coast Sun’s absence.

Fantasia and gun forward Charlie Dixon have had their pre-seasons ruined by injury. Picture: Mark Brake

“Charlie’s obviously such a big part of our team, there’s no doubt about that – he’s been there for years and is so strong at what he does,” Georgiades said.

“Down here at Alberton, we’ve got some amazing defenders like Aliir, Tom Jonas and it’s really good to get some practice on those boys now that used to go to Charlie.

“It’s a really great learning curve.

“For us, we need to step up (as tall forwards) whether Charlie’s playing or not.

“We want to kick more goals, we want to be better players, keep improving.

“Whether it’s myself, Jez (Jeremy Finlayson), Toddy (Todd Marshall), all of us need to step up.”

Dixon travelled interstate for his surgery but had since returned to the club in high spirits, according to Georgiades.

“He’s recovering well and hopefully pushing to get his body back into a good spot to be eligible for Round 1,” he said.

“Hopefully he’s back (training) as soon as possible.”

Georgiades, who played 21 of the Power’s 23 games last season to take his career tally to 28, began his pre-season in his home state of Western Australia.

The Power gave him permission to visit family and train in Perth before Christmas amid WA’s Covid strict border measures.

“I spent a bit of time down in Claremont to make sure I was around people, rather than training by myself and getting that football aspect in,” Georgiades said.

“It’s been a bit of a different pre-season for me … but I’m so excited to be back here now.

“It’s getting to that exciting time of the year.”