Bone’s beef: Trusting Ken Hinkley to bring in Jackson Trengove for Port Adelaide Power’s final against West Coast Eagles
JACKSON Trengove must be selected to play for Port Adelaide on Saturday night to counter to the Eagles’ attack, writes Advertiser AFL expert Chris McDermott.
- Power backs face test
- Hammer’s time to shine
- Port ready to hunt top-eight scalp
- Who will win battle of flat-track bullies?
- I’m ready to go: Trengove
AT Alberton, in Ken they trust.
Its an oldie but still a goodie.
For a coach that has been at his football club for five years, it’s a great sign.
Trust is often the first thing to go. It remains as strong as ever at Port Adelaide.
Trust will be challenged as the coaching panel sits to select its 22 for Saturday night’s Elimination final against the West Coast.
Changes will be made but just who and how many changes is uncertain. Will it be a case of oldies versus newies or vice-versa?
Youth has got the Power to where they are today and Ken has trusted those young guns over the closing stages of the minor round.
The question is, does he continue to trust and accept the consequences or blink and defer to his more experienced players.
Some of them will not be available. Matthew Broadbent needs another week in the SANFL, Jack Hombsch requires hip surgery and is out for the season and Tom Jonas is suspended.
They have played 49 games between them in 2017.
All would have played.
Todd Marshall, Aidyn Johnson, Riley Bonner and Dougal Howard are the emerging youth but have played just 12 games between them in 2017. All could play if 100 per cent fit.
Over to you, Ken.
The Power’s defence has been their rock this season. The second best in the competition behind Sydney, but that was largely with Jonas, Hombsch and Broadbent. Without them it is vulnerable.
Clurey remains and may be forced to stand Kennedy while Howard must take Darling
and needs to produce the performance of his life.
It’s a big ask for this young man but he looks ready.
Then it gets interesting.
Byrne-Jones, Houston, Pittard and Bonner could share the duties on the Eagles’ dangerous mosquito fleet of LeCras, Cripps and Hill.
Any selection or match-up mistakes here could prove fatal.
The challenge for the Power will be the Eagles’ switch-up.
Throw Petrie forward there’s a mismatch. Throw Sheed forward there’s a mismatch. Throw McGovern forward there’s an even bigger problem.
Jackson Trengove must play as the counter to the Eagles’ attack.
The swingman.
The Power are one tall short and Trengove is the man for this moment.
Aaron Young, Jarman Impey, Matt White, Jimmy Toumpas, Brendon Ah Chee, Angus Monfries and Nathan Krakouer will all miss.
None have been at their best this season and only the Power’s best will do.
Second chances rarely pay off for AFL coaches
History suggests strongly that if you miss out on a premiership at your first try as a coach, you should not get another chance — unless you’re Mick Malthouse or Malcolm Blight, writes Chris McDermott.
When two tribes go to war
It was the game that stopped a state — the first Showdown between the Crows and Power on April 20, 1997. Chris McDermott shares his memories for Part 1 of The Greatest Showdowns series.