AFL 2021: Port Adelaide news ahead of the Round 18 clash with St Kilda
There’s been plenty of optimism coming from Alberton about Zak Butters’ latest injury. But when will he be ready? Ken Hinkley gives an update, plus all the team news.
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Port Adelaide has a dearth of available small forwards for its game against St Kilda on Saturday but Zak Butters may return as soon as next week from his latest knee injury.
Along with Butters, who is out with a sprained medial collateral ligament, the fifth-placed Power is missing Steven Motlop (ankle), Connor Rozee (knee soreness), Orazio Fantasia (knee), Kane Farrell (knee) and Robbie Gray (knee) for its crunch clash at Marvel Stadium.
In their absence, Port Adelaide has recalled Boyd Woodcock, while opting to give Xavier Duursma another week in the SANFL as he makes his way back from a Round-4 knee injury.
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It was initially thought Butters might be sidelined for several weeks after being subbed out of last Thursday night’s loss to Melbourne – his first game in three months – but better news emerged.
“He’s tracking pretty well,” Hinkley said.
“I imagine, optimistically, best-case he could play next week, if not, the week after for certain, I would think.”
Motlop and Rozee were among three Power changes for Saturday’s game, along with the omission of key defender Tom Clurey and inclusion of ruckman Peter Ladhams.
Last week Motlop played through his ankle issue, only to require surgery for a syndesmosis injury.
Hinkley said the 30-year-old had a history of a “grumbling ankle” and the club initially thought it was just typical of it being a little sore after a match.
“Yesterday he tried to do some change of direction and was really struggling,” he said.
“Further investigations have shown he’s done an injury that’s a bit more severe.”
Hinkley was hopeful Rozee, who collided with teammate Charlie Dixon late last Thursday night, would miss just one week.
As for Duursma, Hinkley said it would have been wrong to pick the wingman after one SANFL game simply because the club wanted to rush him back.
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“His conditioning is more important for us,” he said.
“We’ve taken the opportunity to make sure that’s done perfectly to give him the chance to play a strong seven or eight games at the back end of the year, we hope.”
Hinkley said former Sturt small forward Jed McEntee was getting very close to playing his first AFL game.
The coach has previously stated he does not like the idea of naming debutants as medical substitutes, which seems to leave Joel Garner as the most likely option.
“We keep losing the players that (McEntee) came in to play their role,” Hinkley said.
“He’s learning our game and we know his late start to the season is going to make it a little bit of a challenge for him but I like what he’s doing.”
Hinkley said Ladhams was largely recalled to help Scott Lycett combat the Saints’ two ruckmen, Rowan Marshall and 2017 Power best-and-fairest Paddy Ryder.
“Their record together is outstanding so we need to support Scott a little bit more with a traditional ruckman,” he said.
“That’s a threat for us and we think Pete can help.”
With St Kilda in form and level on points with sixth-placed West Coast as it chased a top-eight spot, Hinkley said the Saints would be a big challenge for his team.
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Port Adelaide chief executive Matthew Richardson says the club is well placed to go after a big name recruit in the off-season.
In the wake of the Power’s loss to Melbourne last week, North Melbourne great David King said Ken Hinkley’s side was lacking another midfield star besides Travis Boak and Ollie Wines.
Richardson said on Friday the Power were in a position with their salary cap to act on this.
“We are in a position, Chris (Davies) and Jason (Cripps) have done a terrific job in managing our list profile over the last couple of years and TPP (Total Player Payments),” Richardson said on SEN SA.
“From a financial perspective yes we could do that. I guess the thing is are those players available that are going to improve our lists.
“And that is the work that Jason and his team are doing continuously throughout the year.”
The Power had an interest in then Adelaide Crow Brad Crouch last year before he moved to St Kilda, while they were also among the clubs pursuing Zach Merrett prior to him re-signing at Essendon.
Out of the midfielders whose deals are up at the end of this year Brad’s brother Matt could join him in leaving West Lakes, while Luke Dunstan has shone for the Saints since coming into the team — after being told earlier this season that he wouldn’t be playing AFL footy.
Dunstan’s teammate Jack Billings is also out of contract, and the wingman and the Saints are yet to make any serious inroads on an extension.
Billings is seen as a player who could go into the midfield and provide a spark forward of the ball.
GWS young gun Jacob Hopper is also out of contract and is being pursued by several clubs.
But he is expected to re-sign with the Giants for two more years.
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Rival clubs are keeping a keen eye on the situation of Peter Ladhams at Alberton, believing the Port Adelaide ruckman could be gettable at the end of the season.
Ladhams has not played at AFL level for the Power since Round 14, after a four-game stint as Port Adelaide's No. 1 ruckman with Scott Lycett suspended.
The 23-year-old did play with Lycett against Gold Coast in Round 14, with Todd Marshall out through concussion, but since the young key forward completed the AFL’s protocols, Ladhams has been in the SANFL side.
And even with the Power coaches wanting to give Charlie Dixon and Marshall a reprieve from ruck work against Melbourne last time out, Port shifted key defender Aliir Aliir into a position he hasn’t played in all season in the Thursday night loss.
A quiet game by Marshall against the Demons, managing only seven touches and two marks, has thrown the door open for Ladhams to return against St Kilda’s vital ruck duo of Rowan Marshall and Paddy Ryder, with Power assistant coach Brett Montgomery saying Marshall was not “at the top of his game at the moment”.
News Corp understands whether Ladhams can find his way back into the team for the remainder of the home and away season and the finals series is going to be closely monitored by rival clubs on the lookout for a ruckman.
Ladhams is still contracted to the end of 2022, and he and Port rebuffed an approach by Sydney in the last trade period.
But it is understood there is a feeling among other clubs that the 202cm Ladhams could be gettable come the end of this year if his selection frustrations continue.
Ladhams has played 24 games for the Power, and has played alongside Lycett in a dual-ruck set-up and is highly rated by Port.
But outside of Aliir’s stint in the ruck against the Demons, which Montgomery said was unlikely to be a plan Port would have from the outset of a match, the Power have gone with Dixon and Marshall providing support to Lycett in recent weeks.
Ladhams has also been playing as a key forward in the SANFL, with Sam Hayes playing as the No. 1 ruck for the Magpies.
Lycett and Dixon’s age, 28 and 30 respectively, means there should be a place for Ladhams at Alberton going forward.
But there are multiple clubs that are on the lookout for a ruck/forward if he doesn’t want to continue to wait.
Gold Coast are set to heavily pursue one in the trade period, as are Geelong, while Hawthorn could look for a replacement for captain Ben McEvoy.
Ladhams has averaged 14 disposals and 15 hit-outs for the Power this season.
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