Port Adelaide covers Tom Jonas with recall of Jack Hombsch - and loads up midfield to chase big win against Fremantle

PORT Adelaide is recalling key defender Jack Hombsch to cover the loss by injury of Tom Jonas and is expected to add more firepower to its attack to chase significant win in Perth against Fremantle on Sunday

Jack Hombsch has been recalled to the Power side to face Fremantle on Sunday. Picture: Getty Images

PORT Adelaide’s “no-name” defence is likely to have more than the forced change with Jack Hombsch’s recall to cover the loss of injured All-Australian contender Tom Jonas.

The Power on Thursday evening put untried rookie-listed SANFL premiership player Jarrod Lienert in its 26-man squad that will be trimmed to the match 22 later on Friday.

The call-up of Hombsch and 23-year-old half-back Lienert, after just two games in the SANFL, are just the start of pointers to how Power coach Ken Hinkley could refit all three divisions in his line-up for the clash with also-ran Fremantle at Perth Stadium on Sunday.

Critical for Hinkley’s planning is fourth-ranked Port Adelaide (11-4) entering a chase for much-wanted percentage (117.6). This brings the need to add more attacking power against the Dockers.

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Hombsch and specialist forward Sam Gray are certain recalls as Port Adelaide looks to extend its winning streak to six.

Midfielder-forward Karl Amon and Lienert are the other potential candidates to emerge from the 26 to the final 22 on Friday evening. The Power already has signalled two unforced changes by naming former Melbourne captain Jack Trengove and Aidyn Johnson for SANFL action on Sunday.

Jonas, who had keyhole surgery this week to clear fragments from his left kneecap, is replaced - as expected - by Hombsch for his ninth AFL game of the season and first since covering for Jonas against Carlton at the MCG on June 30.

Hombsch, a 92-game player, will form a key defender tandem the relatively inexperienced Tom Clurey (55 matches) and Dougal Howard (25).

Sam Gray of the Power. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

The need for experience in a back six - that currently has no 100-game player with Hombsch, Clurey, Howard, Darcy Byrne-Jones, Dan Houston and Riley Bonner - could force 228-game Brad Ebert to work across half-back while 241-game veteran Justin Westhoff naturally sweeps through defence from a wing.

Gray, one of the Power’s most-productive forwards this season (19.14 in 14 games), resumes after missing the 36-point home win against St Kilda with an ankle injury.

Amon has played just four AFL games this season to lift his career tally to 40. His last game in Power colours was against West Coast in the round 7 loss in Port Adelaide’s first visit to the new Perth Stadium on May 5.

Port Adelaide will travel to Perth on Saturday with a difficulty in choosing the travelling emergency. The Power has its AFL reserves side also playing on Sunday with the Magpies opposed to the Crows in Adelaide’s “home” Showdown at Kadina.

The interesting name in the Power’s 26-man squad named on Thursday evening is untried teenager Kane Farrell, the No. 51 pick in last year’s AFL national draft.

FREMANTLE also will have one forced change with the loss of Andrew Brayshaw (groin). The Dockers will have his replacement - and other changes - come from Taylin Duman, Scott Jones, Cam McCarthy, Ryan Nyhuis and Cam Sutcliffe.

The game will mark Power wingman Jared Polec’s 100th AFL game after starting his top-flight career with 16 matches at Brisbane.

“Getting four (premiership) points is definitely the most-important part of our game this weekend,” said Polec as the Power seeks to pass the telling 12-win mark on Sunday with eyes on a top-four finish for the first time since 2007. “That is our aim now - a top-four spot. And it is a realistic aim we can achieve.”

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