Dom Barry and Jack Trengove leading the race to replace Lindsay Thomas at Port Adelaide

DOM Barry is the front-runner to replace Lindsay Thomas in the Power’s team this weekend but 36 touches for Jack Trengove in the SANFL on Wednesday moved him closer to a fairytale recall.

Port Adelaide’s Dom Barry in action against the Eagles. Picture: SARAH REED

LIVEWIRE Dom Barry is the front-runner to replace Lindsay Thomas in the Power’s team this weekend but 36 touches for Jack Trengove in the SANFL on Wednesday moved him a step closer to a fairytale AFL recall.

Barry and fellow speedster Aidyn Johnson were both held out of the Magpies team that lost to Sturt at Unley on Wednesday as Port Adelaide plots how best to replace Thomas who has been hit with a four-game ban.

Barry played the first three games of the season as the Power went on a 3-0 run but was dropped and missed the losses to Essendon and Geelong. Johnson is yet to play at AFL level this season after debuting in 2017. Several big names were auditioning for a spot in the Power team at Unley yesterday led by Trengove, Tom Rockliff, Jasper Pittard and Sam Powell-Pepper once he serves his three-game suspension.

Port Adelaide’s Dom Barry is set for an AFL recall. Picture SARAH REED

Trengove was the pick of them, starting in defence and pushing forward to finish with a game-high 36 disposals, two goals and six tackles. He also took a strong mark going back with the flight of the footy in promising signs after years of injury struggles at Melbourne.

Rockliff, who is recovering from a minor calf strain, looked off the pace in the first half but finished the game strongly with 29 disposals and Jasper Pittard had 24 with his usual rebound off half-back.

But there is another dashing defender at Port Adelaide who is pushing for a senior game - Sturt premiership player Jarrod Leinert - who has improved his defensive work to go with his run and carry.

The big question for Port Adelaide coaching and fitness staff this week is whether any of the Magpies who played yesterday will be able to back-up in time for Saturday’s clash with North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium.

“Unsure, I think being five minutes after the game now, we’ll wait and assess that tomorrow,” Port Magpies coach Matthew Lokan said.

“We’ll sit down with Ken (Hinkley) tonight or tomorrow and go through how those guys have pulled up and how we assess their games so it’s probably a bit early to make comment on that.”

But Lokan praised his AFL troops including former Brisbane Lions captain Rockliff who finds himself in the reserves at his new club.

“Rocky was fantastic today not just from a pure performance point of view but the way he gelled with our group, the leadership he brought, he’s obviously in the AFL leadership group,” Lokan said.

“And I thought he had a really solid game as well. Speaking to him after the game he felt really comfortable with where his game was at and got the run that he needed.

“Similarly with Jasper, both of them have missed a week or two, and Jasper like Rocky made a few mistakes with ball in hand but again he got through the game and I thought he was really solid for us today.”