This story originally appeared on afl.com.au

THE EMERGENCE of youngster Sam Powell-Pepper, and not injury, is the reason Port Adelaide can afford to play star playmaker Robbie Gray as a forward this season, skipper Travis Boak says.

The two-time All Australian has kicked a team-high 34 goals stationed predominately in attack, and his five-goal haul against Collingwood on the weekend went a long way towards the Power remaining in the top four with their eighth win of the season.

Boak told SEN on Tuesday morning that draftee Powell-Pepper's ability to step straight into the midfield had allowed Gray to form a deadly forward combination with Chad Wingard and Charlie Dixon.

"(Gray is) not managing an injury, he's playing forward because that's where he's most damaging for us at the moment," Boak said.

"We've been pretty lucky with getting blokes like Sam Powell-

Pepper in the side and throwing them straight in the middle.

"That allows Robbie to go forward, and you saw on the weekend, if we give him enough space and the ball he'll kick a pretty good score for us.

"It's also allowed us to play Chad through the middle a bit more and Ollie Wines and Brad Ebert there as well.

"We think he's really damaging forward, and he showed that on the weekend."

Powell-Pepper, who caught the eye of Boak from the moment he arrived at Alberton Oval, has already signed a contract extension with the Power after an impressive start to his AFL career.

The big-bodied midfielder has also earned a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination and bragging rights over some star teammates.

"It was right from day one (he impressed me) and he wasn't shy about throwing his weight around," Boak said.

"His first session he don't-argued Ollie and put him on his bum, and probably two weeks later he did the same thing to Hamish Hartlett and we said, 'This kid is going to be something special.'

"I've said to him in a couple of games, I need him to be a bull and throw his weight around. He's a pretty special kid."

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