Beating Gold Coast in Shanghai could launch a push into September for Port Adelaide says Tom Rockliff

Why Port Adelaide’s second Shanghai sojourn against Gold Coast is more than an AFL marketing trick to Tom Rockliff.

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Port Adelaide’s second Shanghai sojourn against Gold Coast is more than an AFL marketing trick with Tom Rockliff rating it a gateway to glory.

Stuart Dew is discovering the joys of senior coaching commanding a side spanked by 69 points against Melbourne last Saturday at the Gabba and residing in 14th spot.

Ken Hinkley is riding high after Port Adelaide’s classic Showdown 44 triumph which delivered a 5-3 win-loss record and eighth spot. Port would be perfectly placed to launch a September offensive at 6-3 entering its bye.

“We look forward to going over there, grow the game and hopefully put in a really good performance against the Gold Coast, set our season up,” said Rockliff ahead of Saturday’s clash at Jiangwan Stadium.

“If we can get the job done this week it puts us in a pretty good spot going into the bye at 6-3 and really the season after that.”

Rockliff was brought to Alberton as the key midfielder who could release superstar Robbie Gray to a semipermanent forward role. Hinkley’s vision unfolded in spectacular fashion in Showdown 44.

Rockliff’s game-high 31 touches ignited the Power while Robbie Gray’s five-goal, third-term proved decisive against the Crows.

“The brilliance of Robbie Gray came to the fore. He is a special player. I have never seen someone stand so strong in a contest as Robbie, just know the right spot to get. He is a matchwinner for us,” Rockliff told Radio FIVEaa.

“If we can get the job done in midfield he can spend a more time closer to goal and do what he does best. There will be other weeks where someone puts their hand up, Charlie Dixon, Chad Wingard.”

Rockliff had been averaging 12 touches over the first month before a “courageous” call from midfield boss Michael Voss and Hinkley that sent the former Brisbane skipper to Port’s SANFL side for two games. Vital fitness and form returned recording nine tackles against the Crows.

“You come across and you want to earn the respect of the group. The opportunity to go back to the SANFL was one the coaches made. I was a bit underdone,” said Rockliff whose pre-season preparation was sabotaged by a knee then calf strain.

“Vossy and Kenny were important in that, said ‘go back and get some touch’. I felt like I did that. Coming back into the senior team I felt like I could cover the ground and my contest work was really good. To execute it was really good and hopefully I can go from strength to strength.

“It was an outstanding contest from start to finish. We worked really hard, it nearly got pinched, we fought back and got the points.”

Gold Coast in vulnerable without injured spearhead Tom Lynch (knee). Port’s main concern in China is avoiding dodgy food with coach Hinkley understood to eat nothing but hotel sandwiches. Hinkley’s food concern is a throwback to Test legend Shane Warne’s preference for imported baked beans on tours of India.

“You have to watch what you are putting in, no street food,” joked Rockliff.

“We played an exhibition game for Brisbane there in 2010 against Melbourne but it is a very different stadium to what it was back then.”