‘Absolute monster’ Riley Thilthorpe closing in on return as Port Adelaide names mid-season rookie pick-up as debutant
Adelaide young gun Riley Thilthorpe is closing in on a return, with a Crows defender warning fellow backmen of the ‘absolute monster’ he’s turned into, as Port Adelaide names a shock debutant. Catch all the teams news here.
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Port Adelaide has handed a debut to mid-season draftee Logan Evans and dropped ruckman Ivan Soldo as the Power seek to end its two-game losing streak.
Evans was picked up by the Power in the mid-season draft last month, after training at the club prior to it through the SANFL rookie program.
The defender was considered as a potential top 25 draft prospect at the start of last year, but Evans ended up not getting drafted at all.
He impressed training with the Power and playing in the SANFL for the Magpies, and will make his AFL debut against Brisbane on Saturday at Adelaide Oval.
He is one of four changes Ken Hinkley has made as he seeks to snap a two-match losing run for the Power.
Soldo, Francis Evans, Dylan Williams and Quinton Narkle have all dropped out of the side that went down to GWS on Sunday, in which the Power looked “flat” according to Hinkley despite coming off the bye.
Jordon Sweet has been rewarded for strong form in the SANFL, coming in for Soldo in the ruck, Willie Rioli returns from a calf injury and key forward Jeremy Finlayson returns after a week in the state league.
THILTHORPE BACK TO MONSTER DEFENDERS
A bulked-up Riley Thilthorpe has returned to training with the main group, with teammate Nick Murray declaring Adelaide fans are going to be excited about the “absolute monster”.
There have been few positives for the Crows in recent weeks, but there was one on Thursday with Thilthorpe and small defender Patrick Parnell returning to main training at West Lakes.
Thilthorpe suffered a meniscus injury in the Crows’ final pre-season game against West Coast.
The injury, which happened in the final minutes of the clash, came after the Crows’ highest ever draft pick looked primed for a breakout year as a key forward.
Riley Thilthorpe looks like he's going to be a handful for defenders. 👀
— The Advertiser Sport (@TheTiserSport) June 20, 2024
(🎥: adelaide_fc/IG) pic.twitter.com/swJvLaAb6z
He had surgery and has focused on putting on size onto his 201cm frame.
Crows fans lapped up social media posts from the club showing the bulked-up Thilthorpe easily take a contested mark against some fellow Adelaide forwards.
The Crows have the bye this week, and their season resumption match against GWS next week might come too soon for the former No. 2 pick.
But Murray said when Thilthorpe does return it will be an exciting moment.
“I’ve had a bit of exposure to him doing my rehab and he has put on about six or seven kilos and is looking like an absolute monster,” he said.
“So I’m sure the fans are excited to see him back in two or three weeks, he is going to be an absolute monster and a key pillar for us going forward.”
Leadership group member Brodie Smith and key forward Elliott Himmelberg are expected to be available for the Giants clash.
Smith ran on Thursday after he suffered bone bruising in his knee while playing in the SANFL last week.
Himmelberg has been out with a fractured cheekbone.
Murray returned from his ACL injury against Sydney before the mid-season bye.
He said it was a special moment to return to AFL action.
“It felt really good, it has been a long 10 months but to be back out there was very pleasing,” he said.
“With the boys not going so well early days you feel like you can be making a difference out there but to be back out there now is really good.”
The Crows went into their mid-season bye under siege after three-losses in a row that have spelled the end of their finals chances.
Murray said despite this the mood in the Crows camp had been good.
“The mood has been good, the boys have gotten away, got refreshed,” he said.
“We are looking forward to Saturday training which will be really intense I reckon and then against GWS the following week.”
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