Port Adelaide looks at ruckman Sam Hayes to tackle the Western Bulldogs
Port Adelaide will have to test the depth of its big man stocks after losing Scott Lycett to suspension, and it could call on an untested ruckman.
Four years after he was drafted, untested ruckman Sam Hayes could find himself thrown in to the AFL furnace against the rampant Western Bulldogs as Port Adelaide weigh-up who will replace Scott Lycett.
A four-week suspension to the first choice ruckman means Port coach Ken Hinkley needs more than a stopgap big man and Hayes, who was taken in the 2017 draft, is vying with Peter Ladhams to be that man.
Power defender Tom Clurey said Hayes, who is yet to plan an AFL game but was courted by Sydney as part of the Aliir Aliir trade deal and has been averaging 33 hit-outs in the SANFL, was “AFL ready”.
“Hayesy has not had an opportunity in the AFL yet, so it would be awesome to see him get a gig. I’m sure he knows he’s close,” Clurey said on Thursday.
“He is just a big, tall man obviously, can take a good mark and is good in the ruck.
“He has come on heaps over the last 12, 24 months. He is pretty much AFL ready now, which is exciting.”
The Bulldogs could also be without their first-choice ruckman as Tim English continues to battle the effects of concussion, which could help provide Hayes a smoother AFL entry.
But the heat is sure to be on against the Bulldogs who stormed home to defeat Carlton in a high-scoring contest last week.
Being miserly in defence has been key to Port’s success this season, and Clurey has been central to that too.
He kept Adelaide spearhead Taylor Walker goalless last week, earning him top votes form the coaches, although it wasn’t enough to win the Showdown medal, which went to his teammate Travis Boak.
“It would have been nice to get some silverware; I haven‘t got anything since I was 10 I don’t reckon,” Clurey joked.
“But that is the least of my worries. I am just happy to do my job and happy with whoever gets the medal.”
His job, and that of his fellow defenders including recruit Aliir, has been stellar.
Port is averaging just 69 points against them this a game season and Clurey knows keeping the Bulldogs even close to that will go a long way to helping his team win.
“That‘s what we rate ourselves on,” Clurey said.
“But there also have been a few games this year when we have been a bit too easy to score on - I know two weeks ago against Brisbane in the first quarter they were almost scoring every time they went inside 50, so we do mark ourselves pretty hard.
“If we can keep the score down to a minimum, that is one part of our job done,” said Clurey.
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