Trengove gives plenty as a ruck
Few would have expected Jackson Trengove to perform as supremely as he did on Sunday. He may have lost the hit out contest, but was undeniably superior to every ruck on the field with his performance everywhere else.
25 touches – 15 contested – 13 clearances and a number of selfless efforts, this could be Trengove’s singularly best effort in a Power jumper.
A former teammate thought so…
The forward line is starting to gel
There’s plenty to like about Port Adelaide’s forward line.
Dixon kicked five and the surprise packets of the season continue to look dangerous.
Jake Neade had a couple of glaring mis-kicks, but his defensive pressure and evasive moment has him perfectly filling the role previously played by Angus Monfries.
Aaron Young continues to excite inside 50 as bloke with a midfield engine whose job is now to make life difficult for opposition defenders as a versatile running forward.
Wingard kicked three but looked out of sorts after his week out – so there’s promise with him hopefully hiting full stride soon.
Players are adapting to new jobs quickly
Questioning Port’s potential with key injuries is legitimate - Carlile, Schulz, Robbie Gray, White and Lobbe being out of the side (not to mention Monfries and Ryder) is a big hit to the Power’s elite stocks.
To paper over the cracks of their loss, Hinkley went to Trengove in the ruck, brought Young in up forward and recently Impey pushing further towards the scoring end. Who could ignore the rise of Darcy Byrne-Jones either?
It’s starting to bear fruit, and there is plenty to like about the way the last two games have been played – not perfect, but undeniably persistent.
The Magpies will endure
The consequences of Port’s declining stocks flows onto the Magpies.
Things could get worse if scans reveal damage requiring time off-field for Billy Frampton; Port won’t have a dedicated ruckman if it proves the case (Dougal Howard’s first preference is as a forward).
Injuries to newbies Aidyn Johnson and Will Snelling, plus Saturday's absence of Steven Summerton and Tom Corcoran mean Chad Cornes has been forced to dip into the contract pool - now approaching a full complement of contracted players.
The faithful at Alberton on Saturday can take heart, though, the hard-edged effort against West shows a collective will by the playing group to overcome injury and play the game on their terms - interchange bench or otherwise.
