Ebert In Selection Race
Forward Brett Ebert says he is in a battle with Chad Cornes for Port Adelaide's vacant full-forward position
Online Game Day
Ebert made a successful return from LARS surgery on his knee in round one of the NAB Cup, but missed the remainder of the pre-season competition after having his tonsils removed.
The one-time leading goalkicker made a comeback, as a guest player with the South Adelaide reserves two weeks ago and gained more match practice in a trial game for SANFL club Port Magpies last weekend.
The left-footer copped a knock to his shoulder during the hit-out, but got through training on Wednesday unscathed and will line up with either the Power or the Magpies in the curtain raiser to the AFL game at AAMI Stadium on Saturday.
The Power need to find a replacement for key forward Jay Schulz, who will miss at least six weeks with a knee injury.
Ebert is in the mix to replace Schulz, but the 27-year-old said it was possible he would spend another week in the local league.
"I'll wait and see what the coaches say. Obviously, I'd love to play. I trained well today and put my name up for selection," Ebert said on Wednesday.
"Hopefully, I might get picked this week or, maybe, next week. It was a long pre-season and a little bit interrupted here and there…but I've got two games down now and I'm feeling really good.
"Chad's also done really well. He's kicked nine goals in two weeks [in the SANFL] and trained really well again today, so he's probably the perfect [person] to take Jay's position."
Daniel Motlop, Jason Davenport and defender Jacob Surjan, who is on the comeback from a serious knee injury, are also pressing to play against the Eagles.
Coach Matthew Primus has already indicated he won't risk any player that is slightly underdone, as a result of the changes to the interchange rules.
A number of players across the competition experienced cramp last weekend, which is not uncommon in the opening round of the season, but midfielder Steven Salopek said fatigue would be an issue as the season wore on.
"It's going to be a year of survival of the fittest. The sub rule is going to impact on the players and it's going to be a long season." Salopek said.
"I've never felt as sore and fatigued after a game [as I did last weekend], but it's something we need to work on.
"The sub rule played in some club's favour…but in round one there was a severe injury in most games where the it needed to be implemented.
"But we need to get over it. It's happened. The rule is there now, so let's move on."
Port Adelaide has a tough opening month to the season and desperately needs a win before heading to Skilled Stadium to play Geelong next weekend.
The Power lost to Collingwood by 75 points in round one, but Salopek said his side had showed enough in that game to suggest it could beat the Eagles.
"It's a massive game for us. We've got the Magpies playing Norwood beforehand and that's always a big game in the SANFL," he said.
"We learned a lot from the game against Collingwood…and if we can bring that pressure and intensity and sustain it for a longer period of time we should do well, but we're certainly not taking West Coast lightly."
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Brett Ebert is a $268,100 forward in the Toyota AFL Dream Team competition.