Hamstring setback to Port Adelaide’s Hamish Hartlett puts AFL recall on hold

Hamish Hartlett’s hopes of a recall to Port Adelaide’s AFL side for the clash against Brisbane have suffered a hammer blow, with the defensive playmaker reporting hamstring soreness.

AFL COMEBACK STALLED: Port Adelaide’s Hamish Hartlett breaks a tackle in a SANFL trial against the Crows last month. Picture: Tom Huntley

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Hamish Hartlett’s hopes of a recall to Port Adelaide’s AFL side for the clash against fellow unbeaten team Brisbane have suffered a hammer blow, with the defensive playmaker reporting hamstring soreness and almost certain to be sidelined this week.

Vice-captain Hartlett, who has not played an AFL game since shredding his right knee at training on April 26 last year and undergoing a knee reconstruction, pulled up sore while playing for the Port Magpies against West Adelaide in round one of the SANFL at Richmond last Friday night.

He tried to train on Tuesday but wasn’t able to complete the session, likely leading to a short stint on the sidelines.

“Doing some strides after half-time I felt some soreness, awareness, tightness, whatever you want to call it to my hamstring, right hammy, the same side my (tendon) graft was taken from,’’ Hartlett told Channel 10.

“My mind wants to train and play and do everything I can, at the highest intensity I possibly can, but my body won’t allow that, so that’s very frustrating and I was pretty angry (on Tuesday) when I couldn’t run out the session.’’

In a statement, Port said Hartlett “will be assessed’’ for selection this week but it is unlikely to risk him at any level this weekend after taking a “softly, softly’’ approach with him during his 11 months on the sidelines.

Hartlett, 28, made his competitive game comeback after 330 days out in Port’s SANFL trial against the Crows on March 22.

Nicknamed “Hammer’’, he played well with 19 disposals and six marks and backed it up with 16 possessions against the Bloods.

Hartlett said while the hamstring issue was annoying, he felt fortunate to come through a heavy hit to the inside of his reconstructed knee largely unscathed.

“In my first contest against West I copped a pretty solid corky on the inside of my knee, it’s the second time in two weeks that’s happened,’’ Hartlett said.

“But overall I feel like I’m really explosive and powerful in terms of my change of directions, so that is certainly one positive to take out of the whole situation.’’

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