Port Adelaide to use month-long road trip to connect

Port Adelaide is hitting the road for a month. And coaches are hoping the time away will help connect the eighth-placed side as they plot a return to AFL finals.

Port Adelaide training at Alberton Oval. Hamish Hartlett and Robbie Gray. Picture Sarah Reed

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PORT Adelaide is hitting the road.

And coach Ken Hinkley has told his 5-4, eighth-placed team to embrace, not fear, the challenge of not playing at home for another month.

Port Adelaide co-captain Tom Jonas (left) hits the training track with injured teammate Ryan Burton. Picture: SARAH REED.

The Power, which snapped a two-game losing skid by beating Gold Coast in the wet at Adelaide Oval on Sunday, plays its next three matches against Hawthorn in Tasmania, St Kilda in China and Fremantle in Perth.

Port’s bye in round 12 is sandwiched between the Saints and Dockers clashes.

It doesn't play at Adelaide Oval again until Saturday, June 22, against Geelong — the start of four consecutive home matches.

“We’re going to travel a bit, aren’t we?,’’ Hinkley noted after the come-from-behind 38-point win against the Suns.

“We’re going to go down to Tassie, then we’re going to flip over to Shanghai and have some Chinese and then we’re going to come back and go to Perth.

“But it will be good fun for our boys, a great challenge. Every time we’ve gone on the road together we've been pretty good, I reckon, so we look forward to the challenge.

“We understand how big Hawthorn is next week, we get that, we are up for the challenge and we are going to go down there and take Clarko’s (Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson) mob on.’’

Assistant coach Jarrad Schofield said the Power would use its longest road stretch of the season to “connect’’ as a group.

“You like to be at home but I also think there’s a real upside to travelling with your mates and travelling with staff,’’ he said.

“We talk about connection and I think it’s one of those things where as much as we miss our families and want to be in the comfort zone of our own home and these (Power) surroundings, I think it’s a real good opportunity to really connect at a really crucial time of the season, the midpoint of the season.

“We are playing teams who are around the mark of where we are right now, so I think it's going to be great opportunity for us

“It is a real positive thing because the more time we can spend with each other at this time of the year, the better.’’

Hamish Hartlett and Robbie Gray are on the comeback trail. Picture SARAH REED

Port hopes to regain co-captain Tom Jonas (calf) and star forward/midfielder Robbie Gray (broken hand) for the match against Hawthorn at in Launceston.

“I can’t promise but I think he’s a good chance,’’ Hinkley said of Jonas.

“He’s run twice (last week), which would make him a significant chance to play, and Robbie Gray would be the same.’’

Veteran midfielder/forward Brad Ebert will miss another two matches following a series of head knocks that saw him fly to Melbourne last week to consult a neurologist.

“Brad won’t play until after the bye, we’ll be very cautious with Brad to make sure he’s okay because his health is first and foremost and his future is really important,’’ Hinkley said.

“The great, reassuring message for Brad is that it’s an okay situation. It’s just give you some rest now and you’ll be fine, your recovery will be 100 per cent, not 98 per cent, which is critically important.’’