Port Adelaide’s fans have been treated to a glimpse of the future

PORT Adelaide’s fans were treated to a glimpse of the future as the club yesterday completed its annual intra-club trail before a packed crowd at a sun-kissed Alberton Oval — and could take some heart from what was on display.

Ollie Wines at Port Adelaide's first intra-club at Alberton yesterday. Picture: Tom Huntley

PORT Adelaide’s fans were treated to a glimpse of the future as the club yesterday completed its annual intra-club trail before a packed crowd at a sun-kissed Alberton Oval — and could take some heart from what was on display.

Ollie Wines, influential both around the ball and when drifting back to defend, roved to Billy Frampton and the two of them appeared to have developed the type of understanding that often takes years to establish.

Dom Barry, the former Demon who is returning to the AFL, showed he could run like few others and Jack Trengove played a strong first half. That he is moving freely after all of his injuries was good news in its own.

And there was Todd Marshall, whose inclusion in last year’s finals series raised eyebrows but which Ken Hinkley defended as the club opened its doors to members earlier in the day. Hinkley said that not everybody would have agreed with his call in September, but that they would by year’s end.

Marshall did his bit to fulfil his part of the equation at Alberton. One of the best plays of the day saw Sam Powell-Pepper — conspicuous by his newly-shaven head — gather in the midfield, impress with a forceful fend-off to get clear and send a low drop-punt into the forward line.

Marshall took one of the hangers of the day before an appreciative crowd and coolly slotted the goal from 45m out on a difficult angle.

Tom Rockliff, widely seen as the recruit of the year, showed class both in the midfield and when drifting forward to kick a goal and, if the practice match was any indication, he will be an important player for Port Adelaide this year.

Assistant coach Michael Voss said the windy conditions had made it difficult for the players to be as clean as they would have liked, but they had ticked most of the boxes before them.

“It was a typical trial match. You want to see some of your game plan in place,” he said. “Things you’ve been practising over the course of the past three or four months. You want to get some match fitness under their belts, too.

“Because despite the fact that you train, it’s nothing like playing at match intensity and they’re looking for spots in the team.”

Team Black, led by Powell-Pepper, captain Travis Boak and Hamish Hartlett, beat Team White, led by Rockliff and Wines, by five goals, 10.2 (62) to 5.2 (32).

Originally published as Port Adelaide’s fans have been treated to a glimpse of the future