Port track watch: Lachie Jones used as a midfielder in mach simulation as Travis Boak plays primarily forward
This tough nut was showing his trademark power in a different part of the ground in match simulation, shaping as a move to watch for Power fans.
Port Adelaide’s prized recruit Jason Horne-Francis had a minor scare at training when he looked to have hurt his leg during match simulation but the Power young gun has avoided injury.
And Brownlow Medallist Ollie Wines is set to return to full training next week in a further boost for the Power.
Horne-Francis impressed throughout match sim at Alberton on Friday, dominating with his bursts of pace in the midfield for the stronger black side – as part of a on-ball brigade that also featured Connor Rozee and Zak Butters.
But his session was ended prematurely after he looked to be in some pain following a tackle.
While he got back to his feet quickly the ex No. 1 draft pick could only really hobble and eventually made his way to the sidelines where he was attended to by trainers.
Horne-Francis told the Power’s medical staff that it was a cork to the area just above his right knee and while it was a bit of a stinger he was fine.
After having off-season surgery to decompress arteries behind his knees the Power took him out as a precaution with confidence that Horne-Francis was fine.
In other observations from Friday’s session at Alberton.
• Travis Boak played the majority of the match sim as a half-forward in what looks to be a position change for the Power star.
Boak sat out Monday’s session with illness but was back in action and deployed in the higher position up the ground as Horne-Francis, Rozee and Butters did their thing.
With Orazio Fantasia on the sidelines and on the exercise bikes as he manages some calf tightness, Boak was part of a half-forward line that included Junior Rioli and former housemate Sam Powell-Pepper.
Powell-Pepper, who signed a two-year contract extension with the Power on Thursday, said he still expected Boak to spend time in the midfield.
“It will probably be similar to me but more mid,” Powell-Pepper said.
“Boaky has come back in the best knick he has, he had the best time trial out of anyone so he has come back in elite knick and wherever we can have him we will put him.”
• Wines did plenty of running on the boundary at Alberton ahead of his expected return to full training next week.
The 2021 Brownlow Medallist had surgery on his left knee, with it discovered that there was more damage in it that previously thought.
But he is moving well after his rehab and was able to take part in some small sided games involving handballing at the start of the session.
Powell-Pepper said the prospect of having Wines back was exciting.
“We can’t wait to have Ollie back out there,” he said.
“Obviously he is a big voice around the club and he is one of our best leaders, so he is always around but to have him back out on the track will be amazing.”
Trent Dumont also did some running and some drills as he recovers from a calf injury, while Josh Sinn and Jase Burgoyne have returned to main training this week.
• The Power’s match sim gave some big hints as to who are right in the mix for Ken Hinkley’s 23 come Round 1.
Kane Farrell was in defence for the stronger black side, while Xavier Duursma and Riley Bonner were on the wings for the blacks.
Duursma, who was wearing a non-contact hat after a collision last week, was up against Miles Bergman who started on the white team.
The two swapped teams for some of the match sim, before they were deployed together in the last stanza.
Interestingly Lachie Jones was deployed around the ball for the majority of the match sim.
The young defender, who was used as a pressure forward last year, showed his trademark power in the middle – with a big bump on Butters to the delight of the crowd.
It could be one to keep an eye on for Power fans.
• Powell-Pepper himself was basking in his new two-year contract extension.
At the end of the 2021 season his future at the Power looked to be at some risk when he was challenged to fix his “troubles in his off-season over the last couple of years”.
This wake-up call on top of Powell-Pepper starting a family, with a new child to soon join daughter Frankie, resulted in the 25-year-old turning his career around.
“The key people in that were Kenny (Ken Hinkley) and Chris Davies, they put the hard word on me,” he said.
“They didn’t abandon me, they stuck by me and I owe them a lot for that and I wanted to prove to them and myself as well that I could do it as well.”
POWELL-PEPPER: I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT PORT ADELAIDE
Fan and teammate favourite Sam Powell-Pepper has continued the recent upward trajectory in his career by penning a two-year contract extension with Port Adelaide.
The new deal will keep Powell-Pepper, 25, at Alberton until at least the end of 2025.
It comes off the back of a fine 2022 for Powell-Pepper, in which he played every match for the Power and finished second in the club’s goalkicking standings with a career best 24 majors.
Powell-Pepper’s fine 2022, in which he also played his 100th game for the club, came after the Power turned the blowtorch on the Western Australian by insisting he fixes “troubles in his off-season over the last couple of years” after their 2021 campaign in which he finished as a bit-part player.
This, combined with Powell-Pepper’s love of being a father having welcomed daughter Frankie in March last year, changed his perspective and resulted in him turning his career around and becoming a key part of Ken Hinkley’s side.
“I love everything about being at Port Adelaide, the history, the culture and especially the people,” Powell-Pepper said.
“I’ve built my life in Adelaide with my family, and I have strong friendships within the playing and coaching group as well as outside of footy.
“The club has helped me grow into the person I am today, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue that growth around a group that is driven for success.”
Drafted with the 18th pick in the 2016 Draft, Powell-Pepper has become a hard-tackling forward after exploding into the AFL as a big-bodied midfielder.
His average of 17 disposals across his 114 career games ranks him as elite against players who play in his position.
He also showed his versatility and selflessness to the Power’s cause by playing as a makeshift back-up ruckman at times last season when Port’s ruck stocks were hit hard.
Port Adelaide list manager Jason Cripps said Powell-Pepper was as popular with his teammates as he was with the Power fans for his caring nature and team-first approach.
“Sam, to his credit has worked hard on himself and was rewarded last season, being one of our more consistent players and finishing fifth in the best and fairest,” Cripps said.
“We love his willingness to hunt the ball and keep it in our forward line, and he is also contributing more on the scoreboard. He plays the Port Adelaide way – tough and hard at the footy – and is a real barometer for our side because of his energy.
“He’s a great teammate and really popular around the club, and we’re excited to have him at Alberton for another two years.”
Powell-Pepper won the Gavin Wanganeen Medal as the Power’s best under 21 player in his debut year in 2017 and has been twice named in the AFL Players Association’s 22under22 squad in 2018 and 2020.
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