Ken Hinkley says leaders Ollie Wines and Hamish Hartlett can reinforce Power against Lions after Jack Watts undergoes surgery

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley will trust in skipper Ollie Wines and deputy Hamish Hartlett to reinforce a side dealing with the fallout of Jack Watts’ season-ending injury.

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Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley will trust in skipper Ollie Wines and deputy Hamish Hartlett to reinforce a side dealing with the fallout of Jack Watts’s season-ending injury.

The Power said on Sunday afternoon that Watts had undergone surgery after scans confirmed he had partially dislocated his right ankle and broke his right fibula in the last term of Port Adelaide’s 16-point win over Carlton.

Hinkley believes Wines is ready to resume following surgery to fix a dislocated shoulder on January 29. The Power says Wines is “a fast healer” and the 24-year-old must be to front Brisbane at the Gabba on Saturday night in a nine and a half-week comeback.

Port Adelaide’s Jack Watts grabs his ankle after his final term injury. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

Co-captain Wines would take on the Lions with no conditioning or combat but the 129-game raging bull’s fast turnaround from an arthroscopy shouldn’t be doubted.

“Didn’t you believe me when I said he was a week away, I have a habit of telling the truth. He does what he has to get through but I expect him to be back,” said Hinkley as attention at Alberton moved to the prospect of a replicating last year’s 3-0 start to the season.

“If he does that I imagine Ollie is playing.”

Justin Westhoff finally won a milestone game but Watts’s broken fibula/dislocated right ankle and Karl Amon’s left medial strain took the gloss off Port’s home triumph on Saturday.

“Jack underwent successful surgery earlier today and will commence his rehab process as soon as possible,” Port Adelaide head of medical services Tim O’Leary said.

“Jack has obviously suffered a serious injury and will therefore be sidelined for an extended period of time. It’s too early to be putting a specific timeline on his recovery at this stage.”

Port is blessed with elite personnel to replace its injured soldiers.

Hartlett has come through his two SANFL rounds unscathed on return from a knee reconstruction.

Port Adelaide co-captain Ollie Wines Football training at Alberton Oval. Ollie Wines and Hamish Hartlett Picture: Keryn Stevens

Jack Trengove amassed a phenomenal 44 touches while half-forward Sam Gray booted four goals across 33 possessions in Port Magpies’ Friday night victory against West Adelaide at Richmond.

“Unfortunately we are going lose Jack and Karl but we might bring in our captain and vice-captain, that is where we might get to,” said Hinkley.

Watts last week told of the mental toll a tumultuous summer had taken but Hinkley believes the 174-game utility can come again.

“You don’t get through what he has been through unless you are a resilient person. This is a different scenario for him but I am sure he is capable of handling that and bouncing back,” said Hinkley of Watts.

“He was OK emotionally because of what he has been through but understand it will be a challenge. He has worked so hard to get to a point where he was starting to build up some credits.”

Scott Lycett was best afield against the Blues with 34 hit outs, 25 touches and 17 contested. West Coast premiership ruckman Lycett looms as the missing ingredient in a Power flag push, forming a beautiful union with Paddy Ryder that sharpens their attack.

“His form says enough, he helps us and Paddy helps him. Together they are going to be pretty hard work. We are really pleased he is with us,” said Hinkley of Lycett.

Connor Rozee’s debut AFL goal and follow up proved decisive as did Zak Butters’ late goal and influence. Fellow rookies Willem Drew and Xavier Duursma also impressed Hinkley.

“We are pretty happy to have them, Duursma his run all day, and Drew. I don’t think any of them had any problems backing up,” he said.

Tom Rockliff won 24 of 37 possessions in a peerless first half and stands as the metaphor

for Port’s improvement after an indifferent 2018.

“He is a significant player and we know how good he can be. To his credit he has been delivering on that in the early part of the season and the challenge for us as a team is for us to consistently deliver week in, week out,” said Hinkley.

Originally published as Ken Hinkley says leaders Ollie Wines and Hamish Hartlett can reinforce Power against Lions after Jack Watts undergoes surgery