Port Adelaide gets valuable chance to prepare its AFL finals program with SANFL session on Adelaide Oval on Saturday
PORT Adelaide to get critical answers for its AFL finals campaign with SANFL work-out at Adelaide Oval on Saturday
Port Adelaide
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PORT Adelaide will follow the premiership-building path used by AFL powerhouse Hawthorn when it puts players on audition in the SANFL finals at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
The Power will have seven on trial for next Saturday’s AFL home elimination final against West Coast during the Magpies-Sturt SANFL qualifying final.
They are defenders Matthew Broadent and Logan Austin (who comes into contention with the season-ending hip surgery to Jack Hombsch); utility Jackson Trengove; midfielders Matt White and Brendon Ahchee and forwards Jarman Impey and Aaron Young.
This gives Power coach Ken Hinkley the advantage repeatedly maximised by Hawthorn premiership master Alastair Clarkson when he strategically - and successfully - worked Hawks players into telling AFL form through his VFL franchise, Box Hill.
This bonus - one AFL minor premier Adelaide is searching for after having its SANFL team fail to qualify for finals - is not lost on Power vice-captain Ollie Wines and All-Australian ruckman Patrick Ryder as Port Adelaide prepares for its first AFL final series since 2014.
“There is extra incentive, particularly when Ken has said he has not made up his mind on the team (to play West Coast),” Ryder said.
Wines added: “It is massive for us. To have all 44 guys playing at this time of the year makes the competition for spots (in the AFL team) stay open.
“Guys have an opportunity to play well (against Sturt) and earn themselves a spot in the (AFL) elimination final next week.
“It can only promote good form.”
The biggest questions to develop answers at Adelaide Oval on Saturday are on the defenders Hinkley needs to deal with West Coast tall tandem Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling; and the forward to partner Charlie Dixon. This puts Trengove under the greatest watch for a recall after a month in the SANFL.
The bulk of the Port Adelaide squad will have the weekend off its feet as the AFL works its bye between the home-and-away season and the start of the top-eight finals on Thursday with the Adelaide-Greater Western Sydney qualifying final.
The break - the first in 15 weeks at Alberton - was critical for a group feeling the physical strain of a demanding AFL campaign.
“I’ve really needed the week off,” Wines said. “Like a lot of us, our bye was after the Shanghai game (in mid-May) in Round 8 so it has been 15 weeks without a rest. The boys were getting pretty tired.
“To have a couple of days off to freshen up, the body gets a lot out of it.
“Mentally ... (it is a great opportunity) to know you are playing finals footy when there are 10 clubs that have finished their years. We are very fresh - and you have to be excited this time of the year.”
Port Adelaide has to deal with its poor record against West Coast at Adelaide Oval - three games for three losses by 10, eight and 10 points. The last meeting, on May 6, was notable for the Power making a mess of its inside-50 dominance and goalkicking (12.15).
“That was a turning point for our season,” Wines said. “We felt we were in that game at all times and controlled it - but our efficiency going inside-50 just wasn’t there. And it triggered a lot of changes for us going forward.
“It opened our eyes on how we need to go inside-50 to our tall, Charlie (Dixon), and to Robbie (Gray) and Chad (Wingard). We have had to change - and we feel we have improved.
“We went over it again (at training at Alberton on Friday). We just have to execute now.”
michelangelo.rucci@news.com.au
Originally published as Port Adelaide gets valuable chance to prepare its AFL finals program with SANFL session on Adelaide Oval on Saturday
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