Port Adelaide names Patrick Ryder and Dan Houston but loses key defender Tom Clurey for Magpies clash
PORT Adelaide has named lead ruckman Patrick Ryder and young defender Dan Houston, but has unexpectedly lost key defender Tom Clurey with a foot injury
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PORT Adelaide’s defence is forced to make a surprise refit with the loss of key defender Tom Clurey for the finals-defining AFL clash with Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday.
As the eight-ranked Power (12-8) kept lead ruckman Patrick Ryder (hip), midfielder Jared Polec (hamstring) and defender Dan Houston (neck) on the team sheet for the must-win game with the Magpies, Clurey is sidelined with a stressed bone in a foot.
Port Adelaide has recalled Jack Hombsch to replace Clurey — and fellow defender Riley Bonner, who was dropped from last week’s dramatic clash with West Coast.
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They replace Clurey and injured key forward Charlie Dixon, who has a fractured right leg and will not play again this season as he recovers from surgery.
Power defence coach Nathan Bassett on Thursday night revealed Clurey had a new “hot spot” on a foot after carrying pain for a couple of months. He added Clurey is no certainty to resume this season.
There was no recall of second-year midfielder Sam Powell-Pepper — nor any call-up of untried ruckman Billy Frampton despite the uncertainty on Ryder, who did not finish the clash with the Eagles and has not trained in full this week.
However, Frampton is on the emergency list — along with former Melbourne captain Jack Trengove, in-form SANFL midfielder Will Snelling and North Melbourne recruit Lindsay Thomas — that might be activated after Power training at Alberton at 8am on Friday.
Port Adelaide must win at least one of its remaining home-and-away clashes with Collingwood and Essendon (Adelaide Oval) to reach the 13-win cut-off for the top eight. But percentage could then still keep the Power out of next month’s final series.
COLLINGWOOD (13-7, fifth) is unchanged.
It is the first time this season that the Magpies — who have battled considerable injuries this season — have named the same 22 for consecutive weeks.
The match will mark Travis Varcoe’s 200th AFL game after 138 matches with Geelong.
ADELAIDE (10-10, 12th) has a 26-man squad that on final selection could bring forward a new face — forward Elliott Himmelberg — for the clash with finals contender North Melbourne at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
“Elliot’s been in good form in the SANFL, kicked five goals a couple of weeks ago — so good to see him come into the squad,” Crows football boss Brett Burton said.
Adelaide’s preliminary squad recalls switch-hitter Mitch McGovern, defender Jake Kelly, midfielder Paul Seedsman and potential minder Riley Knight.
Crows coach Don Pyke surprised by not calling up first-year forward Darcy Fogarty, increasing the expectation Himmelberg will make his AFL start on Sunday.
There is no return for injured key defender Daniel Talia — and captain Taylor Walker’s season is finished by his two-game ban for the sling tackle of Greater Western Sydney midfielder Josh Kelly in Canberra on Saturday night.
NORTH MELBOURNE (11-9, 10th) also will file its match 22 on Friday after naming a preliminary 26-man squad that has retained the line-up that slipped up against the Western Bulldogs.
Brad Scott has added four for consideration at final selection — forward-midfielder Nathan Hrovat, novice Luke Davies-Uniacke, defender Ben McKay and defender-midfielder Declan Mountford.