PORT ADELAIDE has announced its side for their season opener against Melbourne at the MCG.
Defender Jarrod Lienert drops out of the 23-man squad which beat the Kangaroos after suffering a medial ligament strain in that game.
That means, as coach Ken Hinkley explained on Tuesday, that the Power will have four AFL debutants – Zak Butters, Xavier Duursma, Connor Rozee and Willem Drew – among the side.
Hawthorn recruit Ryan Burton and West Coast Premiership ruckman Scott Lycett have also been named to make their club debuts.
Sam Mayes, Sam Gray, Dougal Howard and Kane Farrell have been named as emergencies.
Port Adelaide has named a strong SANFL side for its final pre-season trial game against Adelaide with Power vice-captain Hamish Hartlett and young midfielder Joe Atley set to play their first games of the year after respective injury layoffs due to knee injuries.
Hartlett has been out since last April after rupturing his Anterior Cruciate Ligament and having a knee reconstruction.
2018 SANFL runner-up Best and Fairest Jack Trengove is also back in the side after missing the last pre-season trial game against South Adelaide.
Jake Patmore will miss out after sustaining a season-ending knee injury against the Panthers a fortnight ago while Simon Wong, Jack Strange, Ben Edwards, Mony Makoi and Lachlan Smith also come out of the selected side.
Experienced backman Matthew Broadbent is also sitting out the game after having some hamstring tightness in training during the week.
Position | Name | # | Name | # | Name | # |
Backs | Garner | 27 | Corcoran | 42 | McKenzie | 12 |
Half Backs | Elsworthy | 50 | Hartlett | 8 | Frederick | 45 |
Centreline | Sutcliffe | 1 | Atley | 30 | Pudney | 48 |
Half Forwards | Appleton |
| Woodcock | 36 | Johnson | 31 |
Forwards | Hill | 29 | Frampton | 14 | Cox | 47 |
Followers | Ladhams | 38 | Trengove | 19 | Hewett | 44 |
Interchange | M.Mead | 33 |
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In: Hartlett, Atley, Trengove
Out: Patmore, Wong, Strange, Edwards, Makoi, Smith
New: