After an injury-plagued season, Robbie Gray is set to finish 2008 on a high, returning for the round 22 match against North Melbourne on Saturday at the Telstra Dome. Gray has managed nine games in season 2008, after an exciting glimpse what he is capable of in 2007.

Gray comes into the 22 to replace Troy Chaplin, who will miss the game with a knee injury while Marlon Motlop has retained his place in the Power side after showing promising signs in his AFL debut against Melbourne in Round 21.

Here’s Port Adelaide’s General Manager – Football Operations Peter Rohde’s inside word on this week’s selection.

Chaplin will miss the final game for the year with a slight knee injury. It’s nothing too major and we’d expect him to play next week if we were playing finals. It gives Robbie Gray another chance after he missed last week with a knee injury.

It’s good to have him back in the side, he’s someone who we see in our best 22 when fully fit. He’ll hopefully have a good game to finish the year to take some positives into the pre-season.

Marlon Motlop and Matthew Westhoff have both shown some good signs so we’re hoping they can build on that and like Robbie, take some positives into the pre-season.

Thankyou to the fans for all your support this year. Hope to see you all again in 2009. Cheers


The Power’s final team to face the Kangaroos, as named at 4.30pm on Thursday, is as follows…

B: Toby Thurstans, Alipate Carlile, Nick Lower
HB: Jacob Surjan, Damon White, Peter Burgoyne
C: Domenic Cassisi, Kane Cornes, Travis Boak
HF: Tom Logan, Matthew Westhoff, Danyle Pearce
F: Justin Westhoff, Daniel Motlop, Brett Ebert
Foll: Dean Brogan, Shaun Burgoyne, David Rodan
Interchange: Brendon Lade, Marlon Motlop, Paul Stewart, Robbie Gray
Emergencies: Greg Bentley, Mitch Farmer, Nathan Lonie

IN: Robbie Gray
OUT: Troy Chaplin (knee)