JACK TRENGOVE will make his Port Adelaide debut on Saturday against Carlton with his selection confirmed by coach Ken Hinkley.
Trengove played 86 games and booted 39 goals for Melbourne before arriving at Alberton as a delisted free agent in the 2017 trade period.
Injuries and bad luck mean the 26-year-old has been restricted to just seven AFL games since 2013.
Since coming home to Adelaide, Trengove has been among the best performers in Port Adelaide’s SANFL team and has been an AFL emergency on multiple occasions.
“It’s a really thoroughly deserved game,” Hinkley said at a press conference on Thursday.
“He was fairly excited (when I told him). He’s worked really hard for a long period of time, he’s busting for a game, he deserves a game.
“He’s done more miles than most of us, he’s been to China, he’s been to Perth, he’s been to Tasmania - he just hasn’t played.”
Hinkley said when he met with Trengove ahead of his arrival at Alberton he told him he wanted a ‘Monday to Friday’ player more than a ‘game day’ player.
“I wanted someone who was going to be prepared to work real hard, help young people improve their games,” Hinkley said.
“If that meant playing for the Magpies I’ll do that, and if it meant I’ll just work
“And he accepted that, and he accepted it with open arms.
“The
“It doesn’t mean he’s going to be guaranteed a game the week after or the next one, it’s an opportunity and I think he’ll embrace it as a great opportunity.”
Hinkley said Trengove would give the side great flexibility because he can play a variety of roles including on the ball, on the wing, down back or up forward.
The Power will be forced into another change with in-form defender Tom Jonas to miss because of an ongoing hamstring complaint.
Hinkley said Jack Hombsch would replace him.
“Tom has been able to get through games he just hasn’t felt 100%,” Hinkley said.
“He’s such a valuable part of our team and incredibly important and we just can’t take the risk.
“If we play him this week and he ends up missing three or four or five weeks, we’d be really kicking ourselves.
“Jack Hombsch has been unlucky to not be in the side but you don’t replace All-Australian defenders easily and that’s what Tom Jonas has been.”
Darcy Byrne-Jones will also miss the trip to the MCG, having played 56 consecutive AFL games since making his debut in 2016.
Hinkley said Byrne-Jones had been left out of the side for being late to training on Monday.
“Our leadership group and
“He’s disappointed but that’s just the way it goes.
“If you want a strong culture you have to create it.”
Hinkley said while Byrne-Jones’ lateness was a simple mistake, his omission was about setting elite standards at the club.
“Darcy is such a professional in everything he does, he’s been such a good player for us,” he said.
“We’ll miss him but there’s a level you have to commit to and we talked about that after the game last week so as a group we understand what it means to be a part of the group at the moment.”
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