Port Adelaide defender Campbell Heath a recall chance just three months after knee surgery

MINOR  premier Port Adelaide could pull an SANFL ­finals shock and recall ­defender Campbell Heath for its premiership tilt just three months after he underwent knee surgery.

SANFL - Adelaide Crows v Port Adelaide in Clare. Campbell Heath. PIC SARAH REED.

MINOR  premier Port Adelaide could pull an SANFL ­finals shock and recall ­defender Campbell Heath for its premiership tilt.

The Power-listed former Swan has been given the all-clear to play again just three months after having ligament augmentation and reconstruction system (LARS) surgery to repair his knee.

The unlucky Heath, 23, underwent his third knee ­reconstruction after being injured against North Adelaide in round eight.

“He’s got to get through all the training,’’ Magpies coach Garry Hocking said when asked about the chances of Heath being selected for a final after missing so much footy.

“We’ll probably do a little bit of match preparation leading into our first final (in two weeks), so we’ll see how he comes out of that.

“He’s been able to do the normal training but we’ll continue to try to test him over the next week or two in some contested sort of stuff at training and then we’ll make that call on him.’’

Hocking is upbeat about the Magpies’ flag hopes despite their shock 32-point loss to bottom side Glenelg in the final minor round at the Bay on Saturday.

Finishing top gives Port a double chance, a direct passage to the second semi-final and the all-important week’s break.

It will play the winner of Saturday’s qualifying final between Norwood and Sturt.

“It was a disappointing result because you don’t want to lose the last game going into a finals campaign,’’ Hocking said.

“We didn’t come to play and that’s the difficult question I will take away from the game – just why there are different levels of form and mindset from one week to another.

“But the boys have worked really hard all year to get the minor premiership and this group responds and gets back on the horse and we will make sure that happens.

“We’re really pleased because 2008 was the last time we played a final and 1999 was our last premiership so we’re excited to be in there.’’