Jarrad Schofield’s high praise for Port Adelaide's youth brigade

Port Adelaide midfield coach Jarrad Schofield says his club’s young stars give him ‘goosebumps’ and have been given licence to continue to thrill against premiership favourite Collingwood.

Teenage sensation Connor Rozee is all laughs after playing a starring role in Port Adelaide’s win against North Melbourne. Picture SARAH REED

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PORT Adelaide midfield coach Jarrad Schofield says his club’s young stars give him “goosebumps’’ and have been given licence to continue to thrill against premiership favourite Collingwood in Melbourne on Friday night.

Far from being overawed about meeting the in-form Magpies at a packed out Marvel Stadium, Schofield backed AFL Rising Star contenders Connor Rozee, Xavier Duursma, Zak Butters and Willem Drew, who all debuted in round one, to relish the electric atmosphere and continue to ignite the team.

Xavier Duursma against North Melbourne on Friday night. Picture SARAH REED

Connor Razee and Zak Butters celebrate a goal. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

Bracing for a titanic battle with the competition's best midfield and ruckman, Brodie Grundy, Schofield said the Power’s on-ball brigade was viewing the Friday night encounter as its biggest test of the season but “won’t get caught up with the (Collingwood) names’’.

“We’ve got some young fellas going through our midfield now and with the amount of players we’re putting through there we are definitely showing a lot more flexibility,’’ Schofield said.

“And we are blessed with two recognised ruckmen (Scott Lycett and Paddy Ryder) who can hopefully give us first look at the ball.

“It’s a real challenge but out players are up for it.’’

After thumping premier West Coast in Perth two weeks ago, Schofield said Port believed it could beat anyone and he has urged the team’s quartet of standout kids, who have been an early-season revelation, to continue to be themselves and “bring a lot of energy’’ on the big stage.

“When you’ve got young players who have flair and play on instinct you want to allow them to play that way,’’ he said.

“We are very big on structure and playing your role but to suppress young fella who play with instinct, that’s not my job, we want to use that excitement.

“Young Duursma, he might have run into trouble a couple of times but his running power is exceptional for an 18-year-old.

“He’s running 15 to 16km a game and he’s got leg speed, he breaks the lines, and we don’t want to take that away from him.

“We want to see guys like Butters and Rozee dancing around and sidestepping because that energises our game and lets the likes of ‘Boaky’ (Travis Boak), ‘Rock’ (Tom Rockliff) and Ollie (Wines) go about their business.

Teenage sensation Connor Rozee is all laughs after playing a starring role in Port Adelaide’s win against North Melbourne. Picture SARAH REED

“They are infectious and (with their celebrations after goals) it’s great to see how much it means to them as well, I know the senior players feed off that.

“The passage of play on the weekend when Drew won a contested ball versus two North Melbourne players on the far wing, dished it out to Butters who kicked it in and Rozee took a mark, for our fans that’s exciting and it gives me goosebumps talking about it because that’s why we drafted them.

“Our senior players see that and they grow from it. Our young players were not overawed by the occasion against West Coast and I’m sure they won’t be overawed this week either.’’

Port (4-2) has lost star midfielder/forward Robbie Gray for a month with a broken hand but expects to regain co-captain Tom Jonaes from a minor calf strain.

Schofield said Collingwood, led by inspirational skipper and triple Anzac Day Medallist Scott Pendlebury, would give the Power “a good read’’ of where it’s at but that it “won’t be an indicator of how we are going to finish the season’’.