Port Adelaide Magpies coach Garry Hocking says Campbell Heath is ready to go in Saturday’s SANFL second semi final

MAGPIES coach Garry Hocking says Campbell Heath will be ready for the pressures of SANFL finals football when he plays his first game since May 24.

LtoR: Garry Hocking (Coach, Port Adelaide) and Ben Warren (Coach, Norwood) at Adelaide Oval to promote the SANFL football final between Norwood and Port Adelaide, at Adelaide Oval. Picture: Stephen Laffer

MAGPIES coach Garry Hocking says defender Campbell Heath will be ready to adjust straight to he pace of SANFL finals football when he plays his first game since May 24 on Saturday.

Heath will return to Port’s line-up for Saturday night’s second semi final against Norwood at Adelaide Oval 15 weeks after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament against North Adelaide at Alberton.

The 23-year-old opted to undergo the LARS procedure in a bid to get back on the park this season and will look to have a strong finals series with the Magpies as he fights to remain on the Power’s list beyond this season.

Hocking was confident the defender was ready to play and said he added flexibility to the Magpies because he could play forward or back.

“He’s in and he’s playing,’’ Hocking said.

“He hasn’t just been running the boundary line as part of his rehabilitation.

“He’s been fully involved in all of our training, all of our competitive stuff.

“He trained (Thursday), he got through.

“It’s not a risk, we’ve chosen him for a need and he’s ready to go.”

Power coach Ken Hinkley on Friday confirmed emergency Kane Mitchell would sit-out the Magpies game as insurance for Sunday’s knockout AFL final against Richmond.

But Hinkley said other emergencies Ben Newton and Jarman Impey would both play for the Magpies giving them arguably their strongest line-up of the season to face a Norwood side which enters the clash having won nine of its past 11 matches.

“They (Norwood) are great starters,’’ Hocking said.

“They’ve shown that over the course of the year and particularly over the last four to six weeks.”

“The main message for us to be up and about early.

“We’ve had a week off and they’ve played a final. They’ve had a real feel of what finals are about so we need to hit the ground running.”

A crowd of about 18,000 is expected across Saturday’s double-header with Sturt and South to play a knockout semi final from 2.40pm, before the Port-Norwood clash at 5.40pm.

Redlegs coach Ben Warren said pacy small forward Josh Donuhue was ready to go after shaking a calf injury.

Warren said ruckman Sam Baulderstone had a crucial role to play in giving his midfield supply against Port’s imposing onball unit.

“Newton, Summerton, Young, those guys are pretty handy in there.

“We’re hoping this week Sam Baulderstone can give us first use. He probably wasn’t at his best last week.”