PORT ADELAIDE will have nine SANFL debutants in its side to face Adelaide in the opening round of the 2018 season on Saturday.
The Magpies face the Crows at Alberton Oval in a repeat of a trial game played last Friday, which ended in a 40-point victory for Port Adelaide.
“It’s hard to really take too much out of trial matches, it’s always different come round one,” Magpies Captain Steven Summerton said.
“They’re a quality outfit but it probably helps us the number of injuries they’ve got in their AFL side.
“But we’re not going to take it easy and we’ll have to play our best footy right from the word go so it should be a good challenge but the boys are looking forward to it.”
Summerton’s sentiments were echoed by new Port Adelaide coach Matthew Lokan, as he prepared for his first match for points since returning to the club.
“They’ve got some quality players and it’ll be a tough contest but like any year, round one is really exciting,” Lokan said.
“Trial matches are trial matches and obviously both lists are a bit dependent on what happens with the AFL sides.
“I know Adelaide will come out, like any side, wanting to start their season with a win, and our guys will be the same so although we had a good win, things can change in a week and we’ll need to make sure that we’re on our game.”
Lokan is especially thrilled at having four Magpies-contracted players making their SANFL debuts.
“I think the exciting thing is that we’ll have four guys play their first game of league footy, not only for Port Adelaide, but that’s any league footy so I’m thrilled that we’ll see Levi Proude play his first game.
“He was here last year in the reserves and he’s super excited to play his first game.
“Sam Davidson has come to us from the Gold Coast academy, Jack Strange moved across from Glenelg and Jack Kluske is a former Sturt junior and Murray Bridge boy.
“We’ve brought guys to the footy club and they’ve stepped up straight away, and the good thing is that we know they’ll bring a real contribution to our league side.
“We’ve got a set style that we’ve trained over summer and I’m confident our magpies contracted players can fit into the side, regardless of how many do each week.”
Lokan said Port Adelaide’s four young AFL draftees – Joel Garner, Jake Patmore, Kane Farrell and Sam Hayes - would play their first senior men’s games as well.
“That’s exciting for them and for the whole footy club to introduce some young men to league football and the Port Adelaide Football Club,” He said.
“With those young guys we don’t expect too much but all four of those guys have got some special talent.
“Jake and Kane use the ball really well and have some really good speed with some real Chad Wingard traits, especially in the front half.
“Joel Garner is a real lock-down defender who is a really good intercept mark and a tough player and Sam Hayes is a big six foot six ruckman who needs to put on some size but he’s shown in some trial matches that we’ve played that he’ll have a real impact, not just at SANFL level but at AFL level as well.”
Port Adelaide takes on Adelaide at Alberton Oval from 2:40pm.
The game will also be broadcast live from 2:30pm on Channel 7.
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