He’s leading the SANFL in disposals and votes but former Melbourne co-captain Jack Trengove still can’t crack an AFL game for Port Adelaide

He’s the early SANFL Magarey Medal favourite but Port Adelaide’s Jack Trengove still can’t get a look in at AFL level.

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Port Adelaide has reasons for not promoting former Melbourne co-captain and No. 2 draft pick Jack Trengove to its AFL side.

It just won’t reveal them publicly.

“That’s obviously stuff that we will keep behind closed doors but the player is fully aware of where he sits,’’ Power assistant and midfield coach Jarrad Schofield said.

While injury-riddled Port rolled out eight players with less than 10 games of AFL experience in Sunday’s round nine home win against Gold Coast, Trengove was again overlooked, despite stunning form in the SANFL.

The 27-year-old midfielder, whose Demons career came to a shocking end at the end of 2017 when he was delisted following 85 games in eight, injury-riddled years cruelled by a chronic foot injury, has been the SANFL’s standout player in the first seven rounds.

Trengove has averaged a remarkable 37 disposals, nine marks, eight clearances, five inside 50s, six tackles and a goal to be the early Magarey Medal favourite.

He has a season-high 44 disposals against West Adelaide in round one and has been so consistent that his lowest tally is 31 against the Eagles in round five.

Trengove leads the league in possessions (258) by a whopping 30 from Sturt’s Sam Colquhoun.

He also is a runaway leader in two SANFL awards — the Football Budget’s Shearman Medal (14 votes ahead of closest rivals Zane Kirkwood from Sturt and Will Snelling from West) and the league’s Digital Pass Player of the Year (four votes ahead of Kirkwood and Norwood’s Lewis Johnston).

But he still cannot get a look in at AFL level, despite the Power dealing with an injury crisis.

Against the Suns, Port had eight first choice players sidelined — co-captains Tom Jonas and Ollie Wines, vice-captain Hamish Hartlett, Robbie Gray, Brad Ebert, Charlie Dixon, Ryan Burton and Jack Watts — but he could still not make the cut.

“Trenners’, without going into too much detail, understands where things are at in terms of selection,’’ Schofield said.

“In terms of what he delivers, he gets a lot of the footy, he provides great leadership to our SANFL fellas.

“But at this point in time there are a couple of guys who are in front of him (for AFL selection).

“He understands that and is fully aware of that.’’

Signed by Port as a delisted free agent at the end of 2017, Trengove played three AFL games in his first year at the Power last year — in rounds 15, 16 and 18 against Carlton, St Kilda and GWS respectively, with wins against the Blues and Saints.

He averaged a solid 16 disposals, seven marks and three tackles playing mainly across half-back.

This year the selection cards have not fallen his way.

With senior coach Ken Hinkley hailing his club’s depth after the 38-point win against Gold Coast and saying that the foundation was being laid for its next premiership, Trengove’s age, although he is only 27, might be telling against him.

But Schofield said this wasn’t the case.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a youth thing, it’s more what we’re looking for at various stages,’’ he said.

“We want to make sure we get the mix right in terms of the type of player that is playing through the midfield.

“But we know ‘Trenners’ can play other positions as well.’’

Schofield said Trengove wasn’t disheartened by his lack of opportunity.

“You look at his performance and you would probably think he seems okay — and he is okay because he is still going out and performing,’’ Schofield said.

“That’s a credit to the character of the person. That’s why we respect him so much, for what he is doing and how he is going about it.

“He is a great example for our young fellas coming through.’’