Port Adelaide vs Adelaide practice match: Riley Thilthorpe shines, Sam Powell-Pepper in trouble

Riley Thilthorpe showed why his improvement has been a talking point in the summer after a promising display in the pre-season Showdown. Plus more notes on the Crows and Power here.

Riley Thilthorpe was squeezed out of Adelaide’s side this time last year.

Elliott Himmelberg had outperformed him in a trial game in Perth and got the nod ahead of the forward/ruck for the Crows’ final scratch match, as well as round 1.

On Friday night, Thilthorpe showed why his improvement has been a summer talking point at West Lakes.

The fourth-year tall was arguably the Crows’ best forward in the match simulation against Port Adelaide at Alberton Oval, imposing himself from the outset and kicking two goals.

He took big marks, split packs, spent time in the ruck and gave the Power defenders headaches when the ball was kicked into attack because of his reach from 200cm.

Crows coach Matthew Nicks urged patience with Thilthorpe in Perth 12 months ago.

This week, assistant Michael Godden was bullish about the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft’s progress and his “really strong pre-season”.

“He’s a fair way advanced, mentally and physically,” Godden said on Wednesday when comparing Thilthorpe to this time last year.

“He’s in good shape and mentally he feels confident and knows he belongs now, and knows he can be great.

Riley Thilthorpe clunks a mark over Trent McKenzie. Picture: Getty Images

“He’s still learning, he’s still a young man, but he’s showing signs that we’re really excited about.”

Thilthorpe kicked 18 goals from 21 games last year, matching his output from 14 matches in his debut campaign in 2021.

He should have booted a third on Friday but missed a sitter from 25m.

Expect 30-plus goals this season if he maintains this sort of form.

At the other end of the ground, Adelaide’s key defensive depth will be further stretched after losing Mark Keane to concussion.

Keane copped a high bump from Sam Powell-Pepper while disposing of the ball 19 minutes into the first quarter and trainers had to help the Irishman off the field.

Adelaide ruled the backman out of the match a short time later.

Mark Keane on the deck. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

The Crow have lost fellow tall defenders Nick Murray (long-term knee injury) and Tom Doedee (Brisbane) over the past seven months.

Jordon Butts has been sidelined with a hamstring issue but is considered a chance to face West Coast next week in Adelaide’s last trial before its season-opener.

James Borlase, who played Adelaide’s final four games of 2023 and had some nice moments against the Power, could be called upon again if Keane was sidelined for round 1.

Friday’s match ended as a draw after four quarters thanks to a long-range Luke Pedlar goal moments before the siren.

Here is what else stood out from Adelaide:

■ The increased midfield time for Izak Rankine appears real.

Rankine was in the middle for the first few centre bounces, finished the first quarter in the square and returned there in spurts throughout the opening three periods.

His speed and polish created attacking opportunities, in a preview of the role he could have this year.

Rankine attended just 11 centre bounces last season.

For context, Rory Laird had 506 CBAs and another forward, Luke Pedlar, had 82.

Rankine was rested after the game’s third term, along with a raft of other key players for both teams.

Jordan Dawson, Taylor Walker, Josh Rachele, Max Michalanney and Matt Crouch were also taken off for the Crows.

■ Keane’s early exit provided an opportunity for Adelaide’s top pick last year, Dan Curtin.

Curtin warmed up at quarter-time before heading to defence, where he stood Jeremy Finlayson, Powell-Pepper and Tom Scully at various times.

The West Australian was pushed off easily by Powell-Pepper when the Power forward kicked a goal, but Curtin had a nice moment late, taking an intercept mark on the wing.

POWER NOTES: SPP IN TROUBLE

Port Adelaide barometer Sam Powell-Pepper is staring down a delayed start to the season after a high bump that left Adelaide’s Mark Keane concussed.

The Power hard-nut caught the Irish key defender high as Keane was being tackled 19 minutes into the match simulation between the fierce rivals at Alberton on Friday evening that is set to be closely looked at by the match review officer.

The hit left Keane on the floor for some time and he was eventually assisted off the ground by Adelaide trainers.

It was later confirmed that Keane had concussion, which means Powell-Pepper is in serious danger of missing the Power’s start to the season.

While Keane was being tackled at the time, the AFL has made it clear that players who bump have a duty of care to not cause injury.

Keane being ruled out of concussion comes just a day after Melbourne’s Angus Brayshaw announced he would retire after it was found he had suffered revealed microscopic changes to his brain after he was caught high by Collingwood’s Brayden Maynard in last year’s qualifying final.

Powell-Pepper was recently elevated to the Power’s leadership group and he showed why he is Port’s barometer with two classy goals at Alberton, as well as his typical hard-as-nails approach to the game.

Sam Powell-Pepper made high contact to Keane’s head. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

His evening was ended prematurely in the fourth quarter when Powell-Pepper was involved in a big collision in a marking contest but he was able to jog off the ground.

The incident, which will likely see Powell-Pepper cop a ban, came after a slow start by the Power against its fierce rivals.

But once the Power got going, the home side would have given Ken Hinkley plenty to be satisfied about as Port’s class came to the fore with both sides at 14.9 (93) after four quarters.

Here is what also stood out from the Power at Alberton:

■ While he was in defence for most of last season, Miles Bergman started on the wing for the Power - with Jase Burgoyne on the other one.

The wing positions are probably the ones that are up for grabs in Hinkley’s side and with Willem Drew sitting out with a shoulder issue the Power primarily used Bergman, Burgoyne and veteran Travis Boak against the Crows.

Bergman impressed as a hybrid defender last year but kicked three goals in a quarter against GWS as a wingman.

It looks like he could have the chance to replicate this in 2024.

AT the first centre bounce for the Power it was new ruck recruit Ivan Soldo, captain Connor Rozee, vice-captain Zak Butters and Brownlow Medallist Ollie Wines.

Jason Horne-Francis was deployed as the Power’s deepest forward, while Boak was on the bench.

Nine minutes in the Power made its first switch with Butters and Horne-Francis swapping.

Those two and Rozee were the ones who went forward with Wines almost exclusively in the middle, as flagged by Hinkley and his coaching staff.

Also in the midfield was father-son Jackson Mead.

After a good internal trial last week Mead again impressed for the Power and had plenty of time in the middle.

Zak Butters competes for the ball. Picture: Getty Images

■ Butters and Horne-Francis in particular impressed for the Power.

The reigning John Cahill Medallist Butters was the spark that ignited the Power after its slow start to the match.

Horne-Francis looks primed for a big year after actually being able to do a pre-season.

When the game became more free flowing they tore the Crows apart and showed why Port have one of if not the most exciting engine room in the competition.

■ The Power’s two new key defensive recruits Esava Ratugolea and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher started the game along with Aliir Aliir.

They were under the pump early with the Crows forward line dominant but all lifted and had their moments as the Power worked its way into the game.

Lachie Jones, Kane Farrell and Dan Houston started off half-back for the Power, with Ryan Burton and Dylan Williams beginning the game on the bench.

The latter two might be in a battle for a spot in the Power’s defence for Round 1 and Burton kicked two big goals from outside 50m.

■ Soldo took a big step forward in the battle for Port’s number one ruckman, with fellow new recruit Jordon Sweet having a rough evening.

He had a tough time against Crows ruckman Reilly O’Brien and then had a horror moment that led to a goal to Ned McHenry when he tried to tap a loose ground ball to Jones.

■ After the third period of the six term match simulation the Power put nine players on ice with the score .

Charlie Dixon, Jeremy Finlayson, Ratugolea, Soldo, Butters, Darcy Byrne-Jones, Bergman, Zerk-Thatcher, Houston and Wines were all taken out of the game.

While he starred in the Power’s internal trial Josh Sinn did not feature in the first three terms and when he did come into the game he was half-back.

Mitch Georgiades also was introduced for the fourth term and went forward after some time higher up the ground in recent weeks.

Originally published as Port Adelaide vs Adelaide practice match: Riley Thilthorpe shines, Sam Powell-Pepper in trouble