Will the Power quartet hold their spot? Will Dunkley stay in the midfield? Will Balta return? The big questions answered by the footy experts

Like all SuperCoaches, The Phantom has plenty of questions and not all of the answers. But help is here. Footy experts from across the country help answer the week’s big questions.

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Like all SuperCoaches, The Phantom has plenty of questions and not all of the answers. But help is here. Footy experts from across the country help answer the week’s big questions.

Brodie Smith leads the Crows during a pre-season running session.

HALF-BACK HOGS

Rory Laird (29), Wayne Milera (26) and Brodie Smith (21) — Adelaide’s dynamic trio of running defenders — tallied 76 disposals between them against the Hawks. Can they continue to win so much football between them?

Reece Homfray (@reecehomfray) The Advertiser

No doubt. All three are natural ball winners but more importantly beautiful kicks so when Adelaide wins the footy they want one of these three kicking it coming out of defence.

Willem Drew, front, leads Xavier Duursma, right, and Zak Butters, second from left, at Power training

KEEP PLAYING THE KIDS, KEN

The four Power debutants — Willem Drew, Connor Rozee, Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma — were outstanding at the MCG against the Demons but with Ollie Wines and Hamish Hartlett set to return in the next few weeks, do they all hold their spot going forward?

Michelangelo Rucci (@michelangeloruc) The Advertiser

They do ... at least in the short term. Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley is renowned for backing youth. First-round draftees are now clearly capable of stepping up to the AFL level from under-18 level, as noted at the weekend with the triple treat of 2018 draftees — Rozee (No. 5 in last year’s draft), Butters (No. 12) and Duursma (No. 18).

Hinkley, on Thursday, said he does not “look at the age of a player.”

“If they have form, you play them.”

But history tells that first-year players cannot go 22 games in a row, so there will be a moment when Hinkley will have to send his tyros to the SANFL ... or even home for a mental refresher.

Wines can wait. Hartlett should wait to be sure on that knee.

FORWARD THINKING

Veteran Justin Westhoff booted five goals in the Power’s Round 1 victory, playing more as a forward than he did last season. Do you think this is his role going forward?

Andrew Capel (@andrewcapel) The Advertiser

Certainly in the short term. Spoke to Westhoff about this during the week and he expects to play mostly forward until No. 1 key forward Charlie Dixon returns from long-term injury. It is hard to see Dixon playing AFL again until at least mid-season.

MIDFIELD MAGNETS

Bulldog midfielder Josh Dunkley attended 10 centre bounces against the Swans.

We know Luke Beveridge likes to throw the magnets around but with Marcus Bontempelli starring through the midfield and Mitch Wallis attending the second-most centre bounces, should SuperCoaches be concerned about Josh Dunkley’s role? And can we now call Toby McLean a forward?

Sam Edmund (@SammyHeraldSun) Herald Sun

You can be concerned about Josh Dunkley all you like and wonder what to call Toby McLean until the cows come home, but the bottom line is you’re not trading either of them if you own them.

McLean churned out a 95 and Dunkley a 98 and we’re five seconds into the season.

Yes, it appears both players will spend time forward this year, but that will be the same brief given to so many of their teammates in what is a large group of mid-forwards trying to share the load in a team not exactly flush with scoring options.

It’s a versatile squad, but most importantly, perhaps a hungry-again squad too.

BOLTING OUT OF HERE

We saw the Tigers drop Noah Balta after one game. Will he get back in or should SuperCoaches be trading immediately?

Al Paton (@al_superfooty) Herald Sun

I thought Balta would hold his spot to provide ruck support for Toby Nankervis. But being dropped when Nankervis is facing Brodie Grundy is not a good sign for his long-term prospects. We might not see him again for a while, so if you missed out on a Willem Drew or Matt Parker, don’t hesitate to make the move. Although if you can afford to wait a week, we’ll have a much clearer picture of the best trade targets. And this could all change if the Jack Riewoldt injury fears are confirmed and the Tigers opt for another tall forward.

Originally published as Will the Power quartet hold their spot? Will Dunkley stay in the midfield? Will Balta return? The big questions answered by the footy experts