When Peter Burgoyne lines up on Sunday for Port Adelaide against the Kangaroos at AAMI Stadium it will be nine months to the day since he last played an AFL game.

Burgoyne was one of four inclusions to the Power’s 25-man squad named on Thursday evening. Daniel Motlop is the only exclusion so far – he injured his ankle against the Dockers last week.

Second only to Tredrea on the Power’s most capped player list, the older Burgoyne endured his most frustrating season in 2006. He managed just ten AFL games due to chronic hamstring injuries. It was his lowest return in any of the Power’s 10 AFL seasons.

His last game was against Richmond in Round 14. The date was the 8 July 2006. He left the field that day, knowing he had just given his hamstring a good tear. Stuart Dew replaced him on the field and gave him a consolatory hug before taking his spot on the ground.

But major hamstring surgery in Melbourne towards the end of the 2006 season has left Peter feeling as good as he has in a long time.

“After hamstring surgery last year, Peter is feeling the most free he has felt in at least four years,” head fitness coach Darren Burgess wrote in the Power’s Yearbook in February.

Peter beat brother Shaun and Danyle Pearce in the Power’s 20m sprint testing in the off-season and looked in good touch in the club’s pre-season games until a thigh strain at training robbed him of the chance to be part of the Power’s Round 1 side.

But he will be out there this week, having been named to start on a half forward flank.

The Power has named an extended interchange bench, which includes Josh Mahoney who has recovered from an ankle injury he sustained in the Power’s last practice match in Sydney.

He is currently one of seven players on the bench, along with Greg Bentley, Adam Cockshell, Nathan Krakouer, Tom Logan, Josh Mahoney, Adam Thomson and Darryl Wakelin.

The Power will name which four of those will play and which three will be emergencies on Friday evening.

Port Adelaide trains for the last time this week on Good Friday from midday at Alberton Oval. It will be a special session that the club is inviting everyone to come along to. Thunda Power will be there, the kids will get Easter eggs, and a barbecue and drinks will be available.

The Power’s 25-man squad from which 22 will face the Kangaroos from 12.40pm on Sunday is as follows...

B: Michael Wilson, Troy Chaplin, Toby Thurstans
HB: Nathan Lonie, Chad Cornes, Jacob Surjan
C: Dom Cassisi, Shaun Burgoyne, Steven Salopek
HF: David Rodan, Damon White, Peter Burgoyne
F: Michael Pettigrew, Brendon Lade, Brett Ebert
R: Dean Brogan, Kane Cornes, Danyle Pearce
Interchange from: Greg Bentley, Adam Cockshell, Nathan Krakouer, Tom Logan, Josh Mahoney, Adam Thomson, Darryl Wakelin

IN: Bentley, P. Burgoyne, Mahoney, Thomson
OUT: Motlop (ankle – 2 weeks)