AFL Round 22 Teams: Port Adelaide ruckman Dante Visentini ruled out as Crows, Power name teams

Port Adelaide has welcomed back a host of stars for Sunday’s clash with GWS – but the club’s big man stocks have taken another hit. Here’s the latest.

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – JULY 29: Charlie Dixon of the Power warms up during the 2023 AFL Round 20 match between the Adelaide Crows and the Port Adelaide Power at Adelaide Oval on July 29, 2023 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Port Adelaide will return to a makeshift ruck set-up after Dante Visentini was withdrawn from its side to take on GWS on Sunday.

The Power on Friday withdrew Visentini, who has been Port Adelaide’s ruckman for the past two games, because of quad soreness.

With Scott Lycett on the sidelines after having surgery to clean out his knee, Visentini has been the No. 1 ruck option for the Power for the last two weeks.

In his last game against Geelong he impressed with eight clearances, a game high.

But the young gun will miss the Power’s clash against the Giants at Adelaide Oval on Sunday with quad soreness.

Visentini was on the sidelines at Power training on Thursday at Alberton as Port Adelaide used Brynn Teakle and Ollie Lord as ruck options in match sim.

Sam Hayes, who is listed as still two to three weeks away with an AC joint injury, was named as an emergency by the Power.

Port Adelaide ruckman Dante Visentini will miss Sunday’s game. Picture: Mark Stewart

But Jeremy Finlayson is again set to handle the majority of the ruck duties for the Power, as he did for the second half of last year, as he returns from illness.

Finlayson is one of five inclusions for the Power as it looks to snap a four-game losing streak.

Along with him, Miles Bergman and Kane Farrell missed last week’s loss to Geelong through illness but will return to take on the Giants.

As will Aliir Aliir and Lachie Jones after both exited the AFL’s concussion protocols after their high profile collision in the Showdown.

Jase Burgoyne, Riley Bonner and Francis Evans have all been omitted, as has tactical sub against the Cats Jackson Mead.

Trent McKenzie is out through injury.

Evans, Burgoyne and Quinton Narkle are in line to be the sub for the Power against the Giants.

The Power will be looking for a win to keep its top two chances alive and sew up a spot in the top four with just weeks to go of the home and away season.

Teams: Crows pull two selection stunners as Power cavalry returns

Adelaide has made two selection stunners for its crunch trip to Brisbane, dropping livewire Josh Rachele but opting against a re-call for injured star Izak Rankine.

While Port Adelaide will welcome back the calvary for its clash against GWS as the Power seek to avoid a fifth-straight loss.

The Crows were hopeful that Rankine would be able to return from a hamstring injury he suffered two weeks ago to face the Lions on Saturday.

But Crows footy boss Adam Kelly said they decided to give their star small forward an extra week’s rest with an eye to next week’s clash against Sydney.

“As we have reported, Izak has been going really well with his rehabilitation from the hamstring injury sustained in the Round 19 game versus Melbourne, so much so that he was in consideration for selection this week,” Kelly said.

“In the end we have decided against it and instead will look to next week against Sydney for his return.

“Another week de-risks a recurrence of the injury and on balance we have decided to go that way.”

Josh Rachele and Izak Rankine will both miss Adelaide’s clash with Brisbane. (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Without Rankine the Crows have made two changes to their side as they look to keep their finals chances alive.

Luke Pedlar returns after he was managed last week, while Rory Sloane has been elevated from the tactical sub into the Crows 22.

Chayce Jones is out with a season-ending foot injury, while young star Rachele will be the sub for the Crows against the Lions.

“With Luke coming back into the line up, Josh Rachele will be sub this week,” Kelly said.

“Our primary consideration in identifying the sub each week is to identify a player who can really impact the game and in Josh we certainly have that.”

Over at Alberton, the Power are set to welcome back a raft of players for its clash against the Giants on Sunday at Adelaide Oval.

Jeremy Finlayson and Kane Farrell have been named after they missed the Power’s loss to Geelong through sickness, as has Aliir Aliir after he cleared the AFL’s concussion protocols.

Aliir Aliir is back from concussion. (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Miles Bergman also missed the loss through illness and he has been named on an extended interchange by the Power.

Lachie Jones has been named on the interchange after he missed the Cats loss while he was in the league’s concussion protocols.

He was put through some extra running at Alberton on Thursday before joining in with match sim.

After a number of players missed training earlier in the week through illness the Power had a near-full squad on the track on Thursday.

Dan Houston was missing because of a personal issue but has been named to take on the Giants.

BRISBANE LIONS v ADELAIDE CROWS

Saturday August 12, 4:35pm at the Gabba

LIONS

B: B.Starcevich, H.Andrews, J.Payne

HB: C.McKenna, R.Lester, D.Wilmot

C: H.McCluggage, J.Dunkley, D.Zorko

HF: C.Cameron, E.Hipwood, L.McCarthy

F: C.Rayner, J.Daniher, J.Gunston

FOLL: O.McInerney, L.Neale - C, J.Berry

I/C: D.Robertson, C.Ah Chee, J.Prior, Z.Bailey

EMG: J.Lyons, J.Fletcher, D.Fort, D.Joyce

In: O.McInerney

Out: J.Fletcher (Omitted), D.Fort (Omitted)

CROWS

B: B.Smith, J.Borlase, M.Keane

HB: M.Michalanney, J.Worrell, W.Milera

C: J.Soligo, J.Dawson - C, M.Hinge

HF: B.Keays, D.Fogarty, S.McAdam

F: L.Murphy, T.Walker, H.Schoenberg

FOLL: R.O’Brien, R.Laird, M.Crouch

I/C: R.Thilthorpe, L.Pedlar, R.Sloane, L.Nankervis

EMG: N.McHenry, B.Cook, E.Himmelberg, J.Rachele

In: L.Pedlar

Out: C.Jones (Injured), J.Rachele (Omitted)

PORT ADELAIDE v GWS GIANTS

Sunday August 13, 4:40pm at Adelaide Oval

POWER

B: D.Williams, A.Aliir, D.Houston

HB: K.Farrell, T.Jonas - C, R.Burton

C: Z.Butters, W.Drew, X.Duursma

HF: W.Rioli, T.Marshall, J.McEntee

F: D.Byrne-Jones, J.Finlayson, S.Powell-Pepper

FOLL: D.Visentini, O.Wines, C.Rozee

I/C (FROM): T.Boak, J.Burgoyne, J.Horne-Francis, L.Jones, Q.Narkle, M.Bergman, F.Evans, O.Lord

In: A.Aliir, K.Farrell, J.Finlayson, L.Jones, Q.Narkle, M.Bergman

Out: J.Mead (Omitted), R.Bonner (Omitted), T.McKenzie (Injured)

GIANTS

B: J.Buckley, S.Taylor, I.Cumming

HB: L.Ash, H.Himmelberg, L.Whitfield

C: J.Kelly, T.Green, N.Haynes

HF: C.Brown, L.Keeffe, J.Riccardi

F: D.Lloyd, J.Hogan, T.Greene - C

FOLL: K.Briggs, C.Ward, S.Coniglio

I/C (FROM): R.Angwin, J.Wehr, C.Idun, H.Perryman, T.McMullin, C.Stone, M.Flynn, J.Fahey

In: J.Wehr, T.McMullin, C.Stone, M.Flynn, J.Fahey

Out: B.Daniels (Suspension), T.Bedford (Suspension)

Port spearhead facing race against time for finals tilt

- Jay Clark

Port Adelaide spearhead Charlie Dixon will be sidelined for about four weeks with a foot injury in a major blow to the Power’s top-two hopes.

The gun goal kicker has set his sights on returning for the club’s first final after scans this week revealed a fracture in his foot.

Dixon, 32, reported soreness last week and did not play in the loss to Geelong, but the club confirmed on Wednesday the injury was more serious than first expected.

“Imaging at the time proved inconclusive but a number of further investigations have identified a small crack under his midfoot that will not need surgery but will mean the 32-year-old will require a period of rest,” the club said in a statement.

“It is expected that Dixon will be sidelined for about four weeks.”

Charlie Dixon faces a race against time to be ready for finals. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

It means the full forward will miss clashes against GWS Giants (AO), Fremantle (OS) and Richmond (AO) in the run home before attempting to ramp up his training around the pre-finals bye.

Port is in fourth spot on 56 points, tied with Melbourne (second) and Brisbane Lions (third).

But an inferior percentage means Port may have to win all three games on the run home to sew-up a top-two spot and home first final to jump ahead of the Demons and Lions on the ladder.

Dixon is one of the club’s most important players, booting 22 goals from 13 games this season.

He is out of contract at season’s end but is expected to stay at Port.