PORT ADELAIDE will be forced into at least one change at selection with Jase Burgoyne to miss Sunday’s clash with St Kilda with injury but could welcome back Willie Rioli from injury and a host of other players will be in the mix for selection.
Given the disappointing showing against Brisbane last weekend, there is likely to be discussion around the selection table around potential team changes.
Rioli has missed the last three games with a calf injury suffered early in the Round 11 win over North Melbourne and was a late out for the game against the Lions after not feeling quite right on game day.
He will need to prove he is fully fit at training on Thursday if he is a chance of being included for a return.
At SANFL level, while it was a disappointing result against Norwood, there were some standout showings, including from defenders Dylan Williams and Lachie Jones and ruck Dante Visentini.
Williams led the side for disposals with 27, had seven marks, two tackles and two clearances, while constantly repelling the Redlegs with six rebound 50s.
Jones had a game-high 11 tackles while gathering 14 disposals, four marks and four clearances.
In ruck, Visentini matched up well on Redlegs ruck Harry Boyd, and finished with a game-high 36 hit—outs along with five tackles, six clearances and 15 disposals. Visentini has played two AFL games this season, against Geelong and Hawthorn in consecutive wins, but not since Round 11.
First-year forward Tom Anastasopoulos was a shining light in the forward line, booting three of Port Adelaide’s five goals and laying five tackles to push his claims for an AFL debut.
His fellow first-year player Will Lorenz did likewise with 21 disposals and the team’s other two goals. The hard-working left footed winger also had seven clearances and five tackles, taking his season average to 19 disposals, three tackles and two clearances.
Both Anastasopoulos and Lorenz have been close to AFL selection in recent weeks, with each being named among the emergencies.
Consistent backman Tom Clurey (21 disposals, six marks, two tackles, eight rebound 50s) and midfielder Hugh Jackson (19 disposals, eight tackles, three clearances) also did their best to put their names in the mix for respective AFL look-ins.
Port Adelaide will name an extended AFL squad to face St Kilda on Thursday evening at 5:50pm ACST before announcing a finalised 23-man side on Friday at 4:30pm ACST.