Trent McKenzie’s ankle injury opens the door for a potential return for Port Adelaide captain Tom Jonas

On a 13-match winning streak, Port Adelaide doesn’t have much to complain about. But the injury to Trent McKenzie does impact the balance on the backline. How will the Power handle it?

Trent McKenzie is helped from the ground. (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

An ankle injury to key defender Trent McKenzie looks like opening the door for captain Tom Jonas to return to Port Adelaide’s AFL side for the first time in two months.

McKenzie was subbed off at quarter-time of the Power’s 33-point home victory against Gold Coast on Saturday night after landing awkwardly in a marking contest.

He went to have X-rays post-match on what coach Ken Hinkley described as a badly sprained ankle.

Jonas’s most recent appearance at the top level was against Melbourne at Adelaide Oval in round 10 on May 19.

The 32-year-old then served a one-game suspension and had since spent four matches in the SANFL.

Jonas registered nine disposals, four marks, three tackles and two rebound 50s in the Magpies’ 36-point SANFL win over Woodville-West Torrens on Saturday.

Trent McKenzie is set for a period of time on the sidelines. Picture: Getty Images

Power coach Ken Hinkley said the skipper had been playing well in the state league and would be next in if McKenzie was unavailable to face Carlton next weekend.

“He’s pretty clear in front at the moment to take that spot back,” Hinkley said.

“It’s not like he’s been horribly out of form, we’ve just been in good form as a team.”

The absence of 191cm McKenzie left the Power undersized in defence during the last three quarters but the hosts managed to hold the Suns to just five marks inside 50 for the match.

Miles Bergman (189cm) shifted from a wing to play on Suns spearhead Ben King (202cm), Aliir Aliir (194cm) went to McKenzie’s opponent, Casboult (199cm), and Lachie Jones (186cm) was standing Jack Lukosius (195cm).

Aliir was brilliant, finishing with seven intercept possessions, an equal game-high five contested marks and 11 one-percenters – the second-most on the ground, behind Suns backman Sam Collins – as well as a desperate, goal-saving touch on the line in the second term.

Bergman also played a big role, nullifying King, who was subbed off during the third quarter with just one disposal – a kick – to his name, as the Suns opted to go smaller in the greasy conditions.

McKenzie left the game with an ankle injury. Picture: Getty Images

Jones, who got the nod ahead of Jonas in rounds 12 and 13, was strong in his first game in a month, returning from a fractured jaw.

It said a lot about the 21-year-old’s improvement that he came straight back into the AFL side as soon as he was available.

“Aliir was massive, I thought he was incredible the way he played,” Hinkley said.

“But I thought those younger defenders around him … they can all play tall and small which helps a lot.

“Led by Aliir, I thought the collective back six, seven, eight were incredibly important, as they were last week (in the four-point away win against Essendon).”

Of the newly re-signed Bergman, who also quelled Geelong superstar Jeremy Cameron’s influence three weeks ago, Hinkley said: “When you’ve got a young player who started on a wing and can go back there and assume a highly respected key forward, and beat him strongly, it’s a pretty handy tool for the coaching staff.”

If McKenzie is out for multiple games, the Power’s backline will be seriously tested against Carlton spearheads Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay next week.

Then comes crunch games against ladder leader Collingwood, cross-town rival Adelaide and reigning premier Geelong.

Tom Jonas has spent a month in the SANFL. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

Port Adelaide is in the market for a key defender and has had interest in North Melbourne’s Ben McKay and Geelong’s Esava Ratugolea.

McKay is 202cm and 104kg, Ratugolea is 197cm and 108kg and both are coming out of contract at season’s end.

Casboult, who at 104kg had 8kg on Aliir and 15kg on McKenzie, showed at times why the Power had been so intent on targeting a tall backman.

He proved too big on occasions, as he finished with five contested marks (equal-most on the ground with Aliir) and kicked a game-high four goals.

Until Port can add more size to its backline – and even more so if McKenzie is sidelined – Aliir will be among its top few most important players, one the premiership contender can ill afford to lose to injury.

The former Swan ranks elite among key defenders this season for one-on-ones (4.6) and contested possession rate (52.6), as well as above average for spoils (6.4), intercept possessions (7.9), intercept marks (3.3) and one-percenters (7.3).

“There’s always talk about us being undersized but we’re all competitors down there,” Aliir said.

Aliir Aliir was at his intercepting best on Saturday night. Picture: Getty Images

“If we can do our job and help out each other, it’s good for the team.

“I’m extremely proud of how the young guys are playing, there’s a lot of them down there.

“What we’ve been able to create, particularly this year, gives us a lot of confidence.”

Aliir was modest about his own performance, labelling it “OK”.

“I was a bit disappointed with a few one-on-ones with Casboult – he’s a big boy and you can’t move him too easily,” he said.

“I’m just happy with the win.”

Port has now won 13 consecutive matches and is in the box seat to secure a top-two spot and two home finals.

“We’ll enjoy this and when Monday comes we’ll have a look at Carlton,” Aliir said.

“They’ve obviously got those two guys (key forwards) who are playing very well so I’ll do my homework.”

SCOREBOARD

POWER 2.2 5.3 14.5 16.10 (106)

SUNS 4.1 6.3 7.4 11.7 (73)

PHELAN’S BEST POWER: Rozee, Aliir, Wines, Houston, Boak, Butters, Finlayson, Burton. SUNS: Anderson, Rowell, Casboult, Witts, Miller, Flanders, Atkins.

GOALS POWER: Finlayson 3, Marshall 2, Rioli 2, Rozee 2, Boak, Narkle, Powell-Pepper, Byrne-Jones, Houston, Dixon, Horne-Francis. SUNS: Casboult 4, Holman 2, Ainsworth, Miller, Lukosius, Humphrey, Oea.

INJURIES POWER: McKenzie (ankle). SUNS: Nil.

UMPIRES Fisher, Rebeschini, Mollison, Rodger

31,053 at ADELAIDE OVAL

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: JASON PHELAN’S VOTES

3 Rozee (PA)

2 Aliir (PA)

1 Anderson (GC)

Originally published as Trent McKenzie’s ankle injury opens the door for a potential return for Port Adelaide captain Tom Jonas