PORT ADELAIDE faces Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium on Saturday evening in the opening round of the 2020 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
Both the Power and the Suns won each of their two Marsh Community Series games, defeating Brisbane and the Western Bulldogs, and Geelong and Adelaide respectively, to take some strong momentum into the season proper.
Stuart Dew’s men thumped the Cats in their opening game of the pre-season by 68 points, with Alex Sexton dominating the forward half with six goals, while Darcy MacPherson (31 disposals) and Will Brodie (29) were ball magnets for the Suns.
It was a closer contest in Adelaide when the Suns took on the Crows, managing to hold off the home side to win by seven points.
Co-captain David Swallow led from the front with 33 touches, while MacPherson (31) and Brodie (28) continued their strong pre-season form. Sexton kicked two majors before injuring his hamstring and recruit Jordan Murdoch hit the scoreboard for two goals of his own.
Port started its pre-season campaign with a gutsy 21-point win against the Lions on the road. Charlie Dixon was the main destroyer with four goals, while Steven Motlop had a day out with three majors from his 22 touches. Travis Boak once again led the way in the midfield with 33 possessions of his own.
It was a tighter contest for Ken Hinkley’s men against the Bulldogs in Whyalla, with defender Jarrod Lienert sealing victory with two late goals at Bennett Oval.
The Power trailed the Dogs by as much as 20 points in the final term but a Lienert led revival saw the home side secure a 10-point win.
Todd Marshall and Dixon also kicked multiple goals, while Boak again found plenty of the football with 29 touches. Darcy Byrne-Jones (26) and Sam Powell-Pepper (25) continued their solid start to the year.
THE TEAMS:
Senior coach Ken Hinkley announced on Thursday afternoon first-round selection in last year’s national draft Mitch Georgiades would make his AFL debut.
Georgiades has impressed everyone at Alberton since arriving in November, and has played in both pre-season fixtures, as well as kicking multiple goals in Port’s intra-club in February.
Scott Lycett recovered from an injury niggle in the final Marsh Series game, to be named as the Power’s sole ruckman, while defender Trent McKenzie retained his spot in the side, after playing against Essendon in the final fixture of last season.
Unfortunately for Port Adelaide, Charlie Dixon didn’t recover in time from an adductor strain, with Hinkley declaring the club would take no risks with the key forward this early in the season.
The Suns have named Matthew Rowell and Noah Anderson - last year’s first and second pick in the national draft - to make their AFL debuts.
Important forward Sexton didn’t recover from his hamstring suffered against the Crows, but co-captain Jarrod Witts has been named to play after getting through a fitness test this week.
BROADCAST
Saturday evening’s round 1 contest between the Suns and Power will be broadcast on Fox Sports 3 from 6.30pm ACDT and Channel 7 from 6.50pm ACDT with the game commencing at 7.10pm ACDT.
Port Adelaide’s 150th anniversary documentary Onward to Victory will follow on Channel 7 at the completion of the game.
