Willem Drew dominates for the Power against the Crows in pre-season trial game
An untried midfielder is putting his hand up to help fill the hole left by Ollie Wines in Port’s midfield after dominating in the Power’s under-23 trial game win over the Crows on Saturday.
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Untried midfielder Willem Drew is putting his hand up to help fill the hole left by Ollie Wines in Port Adelaide’s midfield after dominating in the Power’s under-23 trial game win over the Crows on Saturday.
Three years after being drafted at No. 33 from North Ballarat and having overcome a serious foot injury that plagued his 2018 season, Drew looks more than ready for the big stage.
At 190cm and 85kg, the big-bodied midfielder also impressed in last week’s internal trial game and is every chance to help fill the void left by Wines in the JLT Series particularly given Joe Atley is also sidelined with a knee injury.
He matched his contested possession in the centre and around the ground with three classy goals in Port’s 11-point win at Thebarton Oval.
Such is Port’s confidence in Drew, they handed him a two-year contract extension last season while he was recovering from injury.
“I would love him (Drew) to (play some senior footy),” Port assistant coach Matthew Lokan said.
“He’s a great guy, had a really good summer and I think he played one Maggies game last year, so to have him go in and win his own footy and get forward for a couple of shots on goal is very pleasing.
“Just his ability to find the ball in contests and cover the ground, he’s one of our better runners and I was really impressed with him today.”
In a good sign for their pre-season fitness campaign, Port finished the game full of running and came from 10 points down at three-quarter-time to kick four final quarter goals to take very early bragging rights.
The McHenry candy ðŸ¬#weflyasone #AFCMediaLIVE pic.twitter.com/SwTWX2LRkZ
— Adelaide Crows (@Adelaide_FC) February 23, 2019
While Drew was best-afield, top draftees Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma also enhanced their claims for a spot in next week’s JLT clash with the Crows in Port Pirie and Tobin Cox kicked two goals and showed a bit as a small forward.
The experienced Dougal Howard and Matthew Broadbent were also among Port’s best as was Karl Amon and Darcy Byrne Jones with their run and carry.
Hawthorn recruit Ryan Burton played on the ball early then went to half-back and while he found plenty of the footy his disposal at times let him down.
Burton did however kick a 50m goal in the second half when he pushed forward from his defensive post.
For the Crows, Eddie Betts isn’t retiring just yet but life after the little master in Adelaide’s forwardline looks promising with recruits Tyson Stengle and Shane McAdam combining for seven goals.
Importantly star midfielder Brad Crouch, who did not play an AFL game last year and had groin surgery, impressed with his class in his first competitive hit-out of the pre-season.
Crouch’s ball-winning ability has never been in doubt and he amassed 25 disposals but pleasing for supporters was to see him run out a full four quarters and show he’d lost none of his explosiveness.
While Stengle and McAdam showed why they were recruited with forward pressure and unpredictability in front of goal, the teenage recruits also shone with running machines Ned
McHenry and Chayce Jones good early, Lachlan Sholl showed good poise across half-back as did Will Hamill and tall defender Jordan Butts.
Reilly O’Brien was competitive in the ruck and while unlikely to dislodge Sam Jacobs for Round 1, he showed glimpses with a pack mark and set shot goal in the second quarter while resting forward, and a textbook hit-out to Crouch who was cruising past in the middle.
Lachlan Murphy was also handy as a small forward and key defenders Alex Keath and Tom Doedee controlled the footy across half-back.
Crow Ben Davis finished the game with ice on his right knee after appearing to strain it in a marking contest while Port’s Trent McKenzie had to be helped from the ground in the third quarter after copping a heavy knock to the head.
Connor Rozee sent a scare through the Power camp when he got up from a big Patrick Wilson tackle clutching his right shoulder but he played out the game.
SCOREBOARD
PORT ADELAIDE 5.1 6.2 11.3 15.8 (98)
ADELAIDE 3.2 9.5 12.7 13.9 (87)
BEST — Port Adelaide: Drew, Howard, Broadbent, Amon, Butters, Duursma. Adelaide: Crouch, Stengle, Doedee, Sholl, McAdam, Keath McHenry.
GOALS — Port Adelaide: Drew 3, Cox 2, Johnson, Rozee, Marshall, Howard, Butters, Burton, Amon, Mead, Frampton, S. Gray. Adelaide: Stengle 4; McAdam 3; Murphy, McHenry, O’Brien, Wright, Fogarty, Hunter.
INJURIES — Adelaide: Davis (jarred knee). Port Adelaide: McKenzie (suspected concussion).
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