Port Adelaide news: All the latest news out of Alberton ahead of the finals
The Power will head to Brisbane next week, and some huge questions are yet to be answered at Alberton. Simeon Thomas-Wilson assesses four burning questions for Ken Hinkley’s side.
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Spearhead Charlie Dixon is in a race against time to prove his fitness for Port Adelaide’s qualifying final against Brisbane with the key forward no certainty at to make the trip to Queensland.
Port Adelaide, which secured a third-place finish on Sunday and will face the Lions at the Gabba next Saturday, had a four-day break straight after it accounted for Richmond at Adelaide Oval in its final home and away game of the season.
The four-day break is mandated time off for players under the CBA.
Power players not involved in the upcoming SANFL finals series will return to the club on Friday as the club does what it did in the 2020 and 2021 finals series and give its players a break at the start of the pre-finals bye week to freshen up.
Other clubs might implement their respective breaks towards the end of the week.
The Power finished its season with three straight wins to go into finals from third position.
Dixon is one of a host of selection headaches the Power is facing.
Simeon Thomas-Wilson takes a look at the big calls to come.
WILL DIXON BE FIT?
Dixon has not played since the Power’s Round 20 Showdown loss to fierce rivals Adelaide after he reported soreness in his left foot.
Eventually it was found that he had a small crack under his midfoot.
On Sunday he still had a protection boot on the foot and is considered a 50/50 chance to take on the Lions.
The pre-finals bye will help Dixon’s chances but the Power are waiting to see how the foot responds when he takes the protective boot off and returns to putting his full weight on it.
If Dixon can’t get up for the clash, young key forward Ollie Lord is set to get a finals chance.
The 21-year-old started the Round 24 clash against Richmond strongly, kicking two first quarter goals – before a quiet second half.
But following the game Power coach Ken Hinkley gave the 11-gamer a big nod of approval ahead of the finals campaign starting.
“He’s played the role,” Hinkley said.
“I think Charlie has missed, 10, 11, or 12 games and Ollie has played in them. We are really comfortable with Ollie’s progression and think he can have a real impact.
“And that might be that him, Charlie, Todd and Jeremy can all play together.
“But Ollie has done very well.”
WILL JONAS HOLD HIS SPOT?
The Port Adelaide captain has himself conceded that his spot could be in trouble if Trent McKenzie is back from a knee injury.
McKenzie is listed as two to three weeks on the Power’s injury list and has shown good recovery skills on occasion this season.
If he is fit then you would expect that he comes in for Jonas, given he has been ahead of him for much of the season.
It will add an interesting dimension to the Power’s finals charge with its captain potentially on the sidelines as a premiership is hunted.
But if McKenzie isn’t right to take on the Lions then Jonas will be good to go.
WILL SCOTT LYCETT BE BACK IN THE RUCK?
Potentially the biggest win the Power had from the weekend was that Lycett got through the Magpies’ game against Central District.
It wasn’t the best game that Lycett will ever play but with Sam Hayes subbed out in the third quarter against Richmond after being soundly beaten by Toby Nankervis and Ivan Soldo the Power will be really hoping the veteran ruck is back to take on the Lions.
“He got through and that is the important part for us is to get some minutes into him and build him up now,” Hinkley said.
“He is really important to us, really, really important to us and you saw not that long back when he came in and played four or five weeks of really great ruckman footy.
“Sam and Dante (Visentini) have held up well and if Scooter is not right then we will be OK but the reality is that we would like to see Scooter train well over the next two weeks.”
When Hayes went off the Power used Ollie Wines to chop out Finlayson in the ruck.
This isn’t what Power fans would want to see when finals begin.
CAN A SMALL FORWARD BREAK IN?
A couple of small forwards are giving Hinkley something to think about.
Francis Evans was a late inclusion against the Tigers and did his best to keep his spot in the 22 with three goals, including a brilliant improvised effort.
He might have some competition for a spot in the Power’s small forward line with Orazio Fantasia stringing together some games in the SANFL.
Hinkley said prior to the win over the Tigers that Fantasia could be an x-factor for the Power in the finals.
His injury record over the past two years means it is a big risk if the Power chose to call on him come September.
But he is doing his best right now to try and mitigate this risk.
Originally published as Port Adelaide news: All the latest news out of Alberton ahead of the finals
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