Port Adelaide’s recent form: WLLWL

Recent results against Geelong
Round 12, 2008, Geelong 15.18 (108) d Port Adelaide 7.7 (49), SS
Round one, 2008, Geelong 15.15 (105) d Port Adelaide 14.12 (96), AAMI
Grand final, 2007, Geelong 24.19 (163) d Port Adelaide 6.8 (44), MCG
Round 21, 2007, Port Adelaide 16.10 (106) d Geelong 15.11 (101), SS
Round nine, 2007, Geelong 16.20 (116) d Port Adelaide 8.12 (60), AAMI

Medical room          
Port Adelaide
Hamish Hartlett (hamstring) – TBC
Matt Thomas (knee) – 1 week
Chad Cornes (knee) – 4 weeks
Travis Boak (knee) – 4 weeks
Daniel Motlop (ankle) – 7 weeks
Shaun Burgoyne (knee) – ongoing assessment

Geelong
Brad Ottens (knee) - 2-3 weeks
Ranga Ediriwickrama (hamstring) - 5-7 weeks
Scott Simpson (ankle) - 6-8 weeks
Steven Motlop (shoulder) - 3 weeks
Josh Hunt (knee) – season
Mitch Brown (leg) – season
Matthew Egan (foot) - season

Summary

It’s been two long weeks since the disappointing loss to the Western Bulldogs in Darwin and hopefully Port Adelaide has been able to use the extended break to unearth some holes in the near-impenetrable Geelong juggernaut.

 

The split round came at a good time for the weary Power, but only one player - Alipate Carlile (virus) - has been removed from the injury list.

Geelong, on the other hand, will welcome back premiership captain Tom Harley and also has the luxury of recalling Mathew Stokes and David Wojcinski from the twos if necessary.

The Cats showed they were human last weekend, surviving a third-quarter scare to overcome Fremantle in Subiaco.

Port Adelaide was the last team to leave the Cattery with the four points back in round 21, 2007.

The Power have showed their very best is good enough to match it with the top teams in the competition and it will take a supreme, four-quarter effort to upset the Cats.

Key match-up
Dom Cassisi v Gary Ablett
The Port Adelaide skipper has been in fine form over the past two months but faces the mother of all challenges at Skilled Stadium on Sunday. Cassisi, who kicked the winning goal opposed to Ablett in round 21, 2007, has traditionally been favoured over Kane Cornes for this particular role. Ablett was unusually subdued against Fremantle last week, finishing with 29 possessions (24 handballs) and a solitary behind. The Brownlow Medal favourite is just one Geelong midfielder capable of doing both the physical and mercurial and the Power will need a committed team performance to overpower the Cats’ midfield.

Kick it to me
There wasn’t much for Port Adelaide fans to smile about following the loss to the Western Bulldogs, but David Rodan’s goal provided a rare highlight. The dashing onballer also gathered 18 possessions (12 contested), six clearances and three tackles in a committed effort. Rodan has been in and out of the Power side this season, but is a genuine match winner, particularly in the absence of Shaun Burgoyne, Daniel Motlop, Chad Cornes and Travis Boak.

Somebody stop me
Steve Johnson (3.2) combined with livewire Shannon Byrnes (5.1) to sink Fremantle at Subiaco last weekend. Johnson, coming off a quiet game against West Coast prior to the break, gathered 23 possessions, seven marks, nine inside 50s and laid six tackles in the hard fought win. Defender Troy Chaplin has been entrusted with the job on Johnson in the past and will need to be on his toes to curtail the in-form Cat.

At the selection table
The match committee needs to find a replacement for injured forward Daniel Motlop. Hamish Hartlett (hamstring) is unlikely to be available, but Nathan Krakouer, Nick Lower, Paul Stewart and Jason Davenport all continue to push their cases in the SANFL. Draftee Matthew Broadbent is also edging closer to his AFL debut.

It’s not generally known that...
The last time a team won the premiership with six wins after round 12 was Adelaide in 1998.

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.