Port Adelaide drops Melbourne recruit Jack Watts to recall young forward Todd Marshall
HIGH-PROFILE Port Adelaide recruit Jack Watts has been dropped in one of three changes for the Power, allowing coach Ken Hinkley to recall young forward Todd Marshall for Thursday night’s clash with the Western Bulldogs.
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JACK Watts’ honeymoon at Port Adelaide — after being a high-profile AFL recruit in October — is over after just 12 weeks.
Watts will miss the Thursday night clash with the Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval as coach Ken Hinkley takes issue with his form and the opportunity to recall young forward Todd Marshall.
Watts, small forward Jake Neade and injured defender Tom Jonas are out of the Power 22 to play the non-contending Bulldogs in the anticipated rain at the Oval.
They are replaced by Marshall, in his first AFL game since late April; North Melbourne recruit Lindsay Thomas, in his first game since copping a hefty ban against Geelong in late April; and defender Jack Hombsch, who was dropped to rebalance the Power defence against AFL premiers Richmond last Friday.
Marshall resumes after taking compassionate leave in May with the death of his father. Both his parents have died in the past six months.
Watts has played 11 AFL games — and kicked 13.6 — for the Power since moving to Alberton as an uncontracted player in October.
Hinkley on Wednesday — when Port Adelaide trained at the Oval — did not hide from Watts’ form when he could have simply declared the wet weather made it too risky to play tall forwards Watts, Marshall, Charlie Dixon and Justin Westhoff at the same time.
“No player is any different,” Hinkley said of Watts’ fall from the AFL.
“Jack knows his form has not been at the level he would like it to be. He understands the reasons (for his axing from the AFL line-up).
“Marshall and Watts are not dissimilar as talls. We were a bit more worried about the extra tall tomorrow night. But it also is about the balance going forward. We still want Jack (Watts) as part of our side; we brought him here to help us — and he will still help us a lot.
“He gets a little freedom to go back to play well (in the SANFL). That is really important — if you play well, you find a way back in. It is not different to any player — that is what Lindsay Thomas has done.”
Hinkley remains eager on Marshall, the forward he preferred ahead of the experienced Jackson Trengove — now at the Western Bulldogs — in last year’s elimination final against West Coast at Adelaide Oval.
“Everyone knows Todd Marshall is quite an exciting young player,” Hinkley said. “He has had some unfortunate stuff to deal with; personal tragedy. But as soon as he was available, we were going to want him back in the side … and you can’t fit everyone in. It is as simple as that.
“There comes a point when we like to reward great form (in the SANFL). We like to reward winning teams — everyone knows that about me — but there is a point where you need to also reward the form underneath (in the reserves in the State league).”
michelangelo.rucci@news.com.au
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