AFL 2024: Five key things to watch for in Port Adelaide‘s 2024 internal trial at Alberton Oval

What is the domino effect of Ollie Wines’ midfield return? Which key forwards miss out? And who plays wing? Here are five key talking points ahead of Port Adelaide’s intraclub game.

Ollie Lord is one of several Port key forwards in the round 1 mix. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Port Adelaide is four weeks away from opening its 2024 campaign at home against West Coast.

On Friday night, the Power will have its first full hitout of the summer – an internal trial at Alberton Oval.

Every year intraclub games are a chance for those on the fringes to stake their selection claims, players coming back from injuries to get match practice and everyone to get a glimpse of how sides are shaping up.

With Port Adelaide hoping to challenge for a premiership again this season, here are five things to watch for on Friday night.

WING BATTLE

Power assistant Tyson Goldsack labelled the team’s 2023 wing spots “a revolving door”.

This year, veteran Travis Boak looks to have locked in one of them, but who gets the other?

Senior coach Ken Hinkley confirmed Brownlow Medallist Ollie Wines would return to being an inside midfielder after spending large periods outside the centre square last campaign on the back of a surgery-affected pre-season.

Sons of guns Jase Burgoyne and Jackson Mead, untried Hugh Jackson, draftee Will Lorenz and even long-time key defender Tom Clurey have auditioned for a wing spot this summer.

But Willem Drew seems a likelier solution to accommodate Wines’ move back to the middle, while third-year Victorian Josh Sinn may get an opportunity after two injury-riddled years, albeit he has been training at half-back.

Miles Bergman could be another option despite Goldsack saying last month the 57-gamer would be staying in defence.

Xavier Duursma’s departure to Essendon presents a chance for someone to make the position their own.

Jase Burgoyne. Picture: Mark Stewart

Josh Sinn Picture: Russell Millard Photography

INJURY RETURNEES

Mitch Georgiades, Charlie Dixon and Sinn are the main ones to watch here.

Georgiades is coming back from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament that has sidelined him since April, Dixon is training again after an adductor issue and Sinn has been managed during pre-season because of his injury history, including off-season hamstring surgery.

All three are expected to play on Friday.

Georgiades and Dixon, who have been involved in match simulation this week, will receive limited game time.

Clubs are loath to take risks with players at this time of the year and Port will be even more mindful given the duo’s respective injury records.

Dixon has missed 21 of the club’s 47 matches over the past two campaigns.

Mitch Georgiades is returning from an ACL injury. Picture: James Worsfold/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

KEY FORWARD MIX

How many talls will the Power field in attack?

And who misses out?

The answers may be simpler on Friday if Dixon and Georgiades are not available.

In their absence, the coaches could look at giving ruckmen Ivan Soldo and Dante Visentini more time in the forward line.

But if Dixon and Georgiades do play, there will be a squeeze.

That is because 13-gamer Ollie Lord is not long removed from a four-goal haul in the qualifying final and Jeremy Finlayson at his best is a dynamic forward who can ruck.

At 25 and with a contract extension on the horizon, Todd Marshall is now Port’s best key forward.

But Dixon still averaged the second-most contested marks in the AFL last season, behind Carlton superstar Charlie Curnow, and could cause problems for opposition backlines this year if healthy.

When they are all available, a very handy player or two will miss out.

The Power are hoping Ollie Lord continues to ascend. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

MIDFIELD MINUTES

Keep an eye out for whether Connor Rozee, Zak Butters or Jason Horne-Francis spend more time than usual in attack now that Wines is a full-time inside midfielder again.

Rozee attended 68 per cent of centre bounces last season, Butters was at 62 per cent, Horne-Francis at 58 per cent and Wines was 50 per cent.

New skipper Rozee expected his own role to be similar to 2023, when he made a second consecutive All-Australian team.

The younger trio can be dangerous as forwards and have been switching with one another from attack into the centre square during match simulation this pre-season.

Just what domino effect Wines has on the other midfielders will be interesting.

Ollie Wines is returning to the midfield full-time. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

RECRUITS

Esava Ratugolea, Brandon Zerk-Thatcher, Ivan Soldo and Jordon Sweet get their first chance to impress after the Power’s busy trade period to fill holes in defence and ruck.

What does Ratugolea, who plays similarly to Aliir Aliir, look like alongside the ex-Swan?

Does Aliir move higher up the ground?

Will Ratugolea get more lockdown roles closer to goal?

Where does Zerk-Thatcher fit?

There have been clues over pre-season but Friday should provide more ahead of round 1.

Then there is the ruck battle.

Hinkley has hinted the club may play two big men at times because Soldo is comfortable in the forward line, as is Dante Visentini.

Port Adelaide recruit Esava Ratugolea. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Morgan Sette

Soldo had been stationed in attack for most of pre-season because finger surgery prevented him from rucking.

Now he is back in the middle and looks like the pick of the Power’s options.

Sweet appears to be the outsider of the recruits for round 1 selection, but a strong intraclub showing against Soldo will give Port coaches food for thought.

Draftees Lachie Charleson and Tom Anastasopoulos have shown promise as small forwards, so get a chance to push their claims for the role Jed McEntee has held.

McEntee had an underrated influence during the Power’s 13-game winning streak before having a poor finals series, which could open the door for one of the two youngsters or ex-Cat Francis Evans.

Lorenz is also one to keep on eye on.

Originally published as AFL 2024: Five key things to watch for in Port Adelaide‘s 2024 internal trial at Alberton Oval