Jack Hombsch in pole position to replace injured Tom Jonas but door left ajar for wildcard Lienert
CHARLIE Dixon has nominated regular Port Adelaide fall guy Jack Hombsch as injured star Tom Jonas’s defensive replacement but left the door ajar for a wildcard “the coaches want to look at’’.
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CHARLIE Dixon has nominated regular Port Adelaide fall guy Jack Hombsch as injured star Tom Jonas’s defensive replacement but left the door ajar for a wildcard “the coaches want to look at’’.
While 92-game backman Hombsch, who has played eight matches this year but had four spells in the SANFL, is the clear favourite to fill the four-to-six week void left by All-Australian contender Jonas’s knee injury, Dixon revealed rookie-listed Sturt premiership player Jarrod Lienert also is in the conversation.
“’Lieno’ has been really good in the past couple of weeks (in the SANFL) coming back from his knee surgery, he’s been really strong and is pushing for it (an AFL debut),’’ Dixon said as Port — on a five-game winning streak — prepares to play Fremantle in Perth on Sunday.
“I know the coaches want to have a look at him.’’
Lienert, 23, is in his second year on Port’s rookie list.
While Jonas’s untimely knee injury could cost him a first All-Australian honour, Dixon noted how he should return for the fourth-placed Power’s finals campaign.
“So it’s nothing too serious,’’ key forward Dixon said.
“He’s been in and out the past couple of weeks (with hamstring soreness), so it might do him some good to rest the rest of the body up.
“We’ve got some really good depth at the moment and Hombschy’s been great every time he’s come back.
“He’s filled in when we’ve needed him and is still in unbelievable form, it’s just who we’ve got playing back there have been in really good form too.
“He’s ready to step up and take every opportunity he can while we’ve also got Trent (McKenzie).’’
Jonas, who along with superstar forward/midfielder Robbie Gray has been Port’s best player this season, will miss four-to-six weeks after hurting his left knee while being tackled in the third quarter of Saturday's 36-point win against St Kilda at Adelaide Oval.
He will undergo arthroscopic surgery on Tuesday to remove a floating loose “body’’ from his knee joint.
The Power is also sweating on the results of scans on playmaking defender Matthew Broadbent (foot) and small forward Jake Neade (knee) after they were injured in the final quarter of Sunday’s SANFL clash against the Eagles.
It was initially thought that Broadbent had hurt his left ankle — the opposite ankle to the one that has been surgically repaired twice in the past 12 months — when he crumbled to the turf in the southern goalsquare of Woodville Oval in his second match back from long-term injury.
But the injury is to his foot and the club is waiting for a full diagnosis.
Neade hyperextended his knee and the club does not believe there is any structural damage but it has yet to have confirmation.
Defender Jasper Pittard (hamstring) and small forward Sam Gray (ankle), who missed the Saints clash, must pass fitness tests to be considered for the Fremantle game.
andrew.capel@news.com.au