‘I can’t see us making a change’: Power assistant coach Brett Montgomery says Port likely to stick with Pete Ladhams over Scott Lycett
Scott Lycett’s big 30-disposal game in the SANFL might not be enough for him to win his spot back from in-form young gun Peter Ladhams, as Port once again defended its decision to name co-captain Ollie Wines as emergency last week.
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Port Adelaide assistant coach Brett Montgomery has defended the Power’s decision to initially select co-captain Ollie Wines as an emergency for the match against Sydney, before ultimately bringing him in as an 11th hour addition.
After selecting Wines as an emergency to face the Swans upon his return from a broken thumb, Power coach Ken Hinkley was bombarded with questions and ran out of ways to explain why Port’s co-captain was not picked in the AFL.
But Zak Butters’ injured sternum gave Wines a late call-up to the Power side, and he did not miss a beat to end up with 22 disposals, three marks, five tackles and two goals in Port’s big win over the Swans.
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Confronted with more questions about the initial decision to not include Wines, Montgomery said he thought the whole debate around it was “absurd”.
“Ollie was obviously part of the emergencies… when Zak had decided he was too sore and he was putting himself ahead of the team was on the morning of the game,” he said.
”We were pretty clear that it would be Ollie who would be the one to come in and replace him and we knew what to expect from him.
“It was an interesting week wasn’t it? The hysteria around his selection I just found it absurd we have a player who has had an incredibly challenging year on a number of fronts and he was coming back from a really serious thumb injury.
“We just thought that he needed the extra week if he could get that opportunity, as it transpired an opening did pop up and he did exactly what he thought he would whether it was this week, next week or the week after.
“It’s very difficult to be a new captain and playing a new game style when you are playing every third to fourth week so I was really happy for him.”
The return of Wines has been one of the big selection stories out of Alberton in recent weeks.
The other has been the dropping of West Coast Premiership ruckman Scott Lycett for young gun Peter Ladhams.
This has coincided with Port winning consecutive games for the first time since Round 5 and 6, and despite Lycett’s 30 disposals, seven clearances and 33 hit-outs game for the Magpies in the SANFL on Sunday, Montgomery said it was unlikely he would return this week.
“I think most importantly we are really happy with what Pete is doing in the ruck at the moment,” he said.
“He has added a different dimension to our game he is good on the ground he is really quick.
“Selection is later in the week at this stage I can’t see us making a change but that’s not to say we will have that discussion about whether we can get Scotty in.”
Ladhams had 23 disposals and 19 hit-outs against the Swans and Montgomery said Port coaching staff were very pleased as to how he linked up with Paddy Ryder.
“I think the combination between him (Ladhams) and Paddy is a really productive one for us at the moment,” he said.
“It gives us just a little bit more flexibility.”
But he did say he believed Ladhams and Lycett could coexist in the same team.
Lycett, who has been one of Port’s best this year, had 30 disposals, seven clearances and 33 hit-outs, for the Magpies in the SANFL on Sunday.