Port Adelaide to trial key players in new positions in intraclub game

PORT Adelaide will show its 2017 hand in Friday’s best-versus-the-rest intraclub match, with several key players to be trialled in new positions.

Jackson Trengove will be tried as a key forward. Picture: Dylan Coker

PORT Adelaide will show its 2017 hand in Friday’s best-versus-the-rest intraclub match at Alberton Oval, with several key players to be trialled in new positions.

Assistant coach Nathan Bassett has revealed that at least six best-22 contenders will be given new roles as the club tries to find a winning formula after missing the finals in consecutive seasons.

The changes include using defender-turned-ruckman Jackson Trengove as a key forward, midfielder Hamish Hartlett as a playmaking defender, triple club champion midfielder Robbie Gray more in attack, small sharpshooter Chad Wingard in a bigger on-ball role, defender Nathan Krakouer as a forward and Sam Gray as a half-forward.

Justin Westhoff, who has played most of his football in attack, could also spend more time on the wing this season.

“We’re experimenting with a few positional changes to see where that takes us,’’ backline coach Bassett said.

“We’ve made some adjustments in the pre-season with our structure and ball movement and some of the moves appear to have worked well.

“Clearly we’ll know more after Friday and our first pre-season game (against St Kilda) next week but we like some of the things that we’ve seen so far.’’

Chad Wingard will have a bigger on-field role. Picture: Sarah Reed

Trengove’s well-documented move into the forward line is designed to give the team a bigger presence in attack, joining No. 1 target Charlie Dixon and returning former Bomber Paddy Ryder.

Trengove and Ryder are likely to share the ruck duties this season, combining that with inside-50 marking duties.

Bassett said the early signs of Port’s positional moves had been encouraging but it was now about players learning their roles in game situations and working to a team pattern.

“We just need these players to play together more now, to understand what the players around them are going to do, where they are going to lead et cetera,’’ he said.

“That’s why we’ll try to play our best side against the rest in the trial, at least for a half before we might try to even things up a little bit.’’

The Power, which has spent much of the summer refining its skills, has ruled injured trio Angus Monfries (shoulder), Dougal Howard (knee) and Jesse Palmer (groin) out of its 5pm trial.

Last year’s four national draft selections – key forward Todd Marshall and midfielders Sam Powell-Pepper, Joe Atley and Willem Drew – are expected to play, along with mature-age rookie and last year’s leading SANFL goalkicker Brett Eddy.