Port Adelaide won’t take any risk with co-captains Tom Jonas and Ollie Wines ahead of Showdown

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley says he will give co-captains Tom Jonas and Ollie Wines every chance to prove their fitness for Showdown 46, but has revealed the club won’t take any risks.

Crows co-Captain Taylor Walker and Port Adelaide co-captain Ollie Wines at Variety with the Showdown Shield. Picture SARAH REED

• ‘Something I’ll learn from’: Wines vows to bounce back
• Tex ‘sore and tired’ but good for Showdown
• Three-in-a-row Crows set up classic Showdown
• The Moment on Monday: Will Wines let it go?
• AFL caught out on holding-the-ball rule

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley says he will give co-captains Tom Jonas and Ollie Wines every chance to prove their fitness for Showdown 46, but has revealed the club won’t take any risks with the star pair.

Jonas is waiting on the result of new scans on his injured calf as the tough defender seeks the all-clear to resume in Showdown 46 at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.

Jonas scanned the calf late on Monday afternoon to “double check if it is healing”.

If the specialists and the Power medicos see no risk, Jonas will push himself in training either on Tuesday or Thursday to prove he is a risk-free choice.

Hinkley on Tuesday wouldn’t rule Jonas out but said the club had to look beyond the Showdown when assessing his progress.

Tom Jonas leads the Power out against West Coast. He has sat out the past two games with a calf injury. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Media/Getty Images

“He did some stuff yesterday and was OK and we hope he progresses along well,” Hinkley told SEN Breakfast.

“If there is any doubt, I know it’s a Showdown and I know everybody in town (is talking about it), but for us we have got to be wary for the whole season and we are only at Round 8. We won’t take any risk with a player who is not right to go.

“Even when you do bring them back off soft tissue you run the risk in that first week back. You’re pretty much on edge but you make assessments based on what he can do.”

Jonas has missed two AFL games — the Power’s home win against North Melbourne and Friday night’s heavy loss to Collingwood in Melbourne.

Port Adelaide on Monday night issued its injury report with Jonas (calf), Wines (ankle) and former vice-captain Brad Ebert (head knock against Collingwood) needing to prove their fitness or health before the Showdowns teams are named on Thursday evening.

Hinkley said Wines, who had a dirty night against Collingwood, was “sore” and would be tested throughout the week.

Jonas’s return is critical to not adding leadership to the inexperienced Port Adelaide defence — and supporting fellow co-captain Wines as the midfielder deals with his disappointing form in the 39-point loss to the Magpies at the Docklands.

Jonas on Monday night backed Wines to respond in the derby that will demand a reaction from all the Port Adelaide midfielders after they were battered at the contests — a decisive element in games against the Crows that have won contested ball in each of the past three games.

“You saw Ollie’s reaction on the bench … he will carry that for the week,” said Jonas, “and what great motivation is a Showdown to make amends.”

Jonas is not concerned with how Port Adelaide’s confidence has been tested by the Collingwood loss — nor how the Power’s new game plan might be questioned by the poor start against the Magpies.

Power coach Ken Hinkley has some strong words with Ollie Wines on Friday night. Picture: AAP Image/Julian Smith

“When the ball is bounced (for the start of Showdown 46 at 7.10pm) it will not be a big issue,” Jonas said.

Jonas has no doubt how Port Adelaide will prepare for the Showdown after, in his words, “being obliterated in the contest” by Collingwood.

“It will be about how much we want it,” Jonas said. “We will have a big focus on the contest.”

Port Adelaide is the “home” team in the derby and aiming to restore parity in the Showdown ledger that Adelaide leads 23-22.

[e-mail]