PORT ADELAIDE will be forced into at least one change to the team which beat Adelaide by 75-points in Showdown 48 for Sunday’s Round 3 clash against Fremantle.
Defender Ryan Burton had a minor knee clean-out on Tuesday after spraining his knee in the game last Saturday night.
Jarrod Lienert, who played in Round 1 as a late inclusion for Riley Bonner, will no doubt be discussed as a replacement for Burton given they play a similar role, but there are others pushing for a recall as well.
Along with Lienert, vice captain Ollie Wines was among the best performers in the club’s trial game against the Crows on Saturday afternoon for non-AFL selected players.
Wines has served a one-match ban for a breach of the AFL’s COVID-19 protocols and will be eager to break back into the side to play his first game since dislocating his shoulder in January.
Midfielder Sam Mayes and ruckman Peter Ladhams also performed strongly in the trial game to give the coaches something to think about.
Jack Watts made his return to football in that game after his lengthy injury layoff and could be a smokey to slot into the Port Adelaide defence against the Dockers, while young forward Mitch Georgiades, who booted two goals on debut at Metricon Stadium in Round 1 against the Gold Coast, has shaken off a calf complaint and is in the mix for selection as well.
The Port Adelaide squad will be named on Thursday night before being trimmed on Friday.
