TOM JONAS is excited at the prospect of playing four games in 16 days, saying he backs his team to be mentally resilient enough to be able to back up game after game.

The AFL’s decision to play 33 games in 20 days means teams are considering how best to manage their lists through the hectic period, which provides little time for training.

Jonas says he expects his side will embrace the challenge as it has done with others throughout 2020.

“I was pretty excited by it. It means a little less training, which isn’t always a bad thing,” the Port skipper said of his initial reaction to the news.

“It’s just another challenge and I think we’ve embraced all the challenges this year so we’re really looking forward to it.

“We’ve got a lot of depth and a lot of blokes that could be playing or deserve to get a run around and there is every chance that opportunity will come if the schedule turns out.

“We’ve got four close together and then maybe some more close together after that so we think we’re well equipped to deal with that.”

Jonas said having games in quick succession would be a physical test, but it is above the shoulders where much of the heavy lifting would be done.

“It’ll be different for everybody and it’s more mental than anything. Once you’re out there you’ve got a job to do and you just want to compete and compete fiercely,” he said.

“We’ll be able to get a lot of touch (training) in but we probably won’t get that whole ground competitive set up.

“It’ll be interesting to see the standard of footy and how it goes but I think if you are playing every four days you are getting enough physicality.

“The good thing about our club at the moment is that there’s a lot of transparency and the boys are willing to put the team first so I don’t think you’ll see blokes putting themselves on the park unless they’re right to play.”

Jonas and his side have more pressing matters to deal with first, starting with a big match up against St Kilda on Saturday night.

It will be the first time he faces up against former teammates Dougal Howard and Paddy Ryder, who each crossed to the Saints at the end of last season.

“I don’t think I’ll see Dougs. We’ll be about 150 metres apart for most of the game unless he gets forward and kicks another goal,” Jonas joked.

“But hopefully we can catch him either side of the game and then we know what Paddy delivers.

“He’s a beautiful tap ruckman so it’s going to be a big challenge for our midfield and our ruckmen and then hopefully around the ground we can nullify him and get off him and do some damage.”

The match presents a chance for young ruckman Peter Ladhams to test himself against Ryder, who was a mentor for him in recent years at Alberton.

And while some will see it as Ladhams having a point to prove against a man he has taken the place of, Jonas said Ladhams would see it as a test.

“I wouldn’t say a point to prove in terms of the Ryder movement, moreso just a young ruckman keen to make a name for himself and it’s a great challenge against someone he’s learnt his craft off over the last few years,” Jonas said.

“An opportunity to put that on display against the man himself will be great.”

More than anything Jonas and the team are looking forward to playing at home after seven weeks away, especially in front of a crowd of around 20,000 passionate Port Adelaide members.

“It’s going to be nice to have a few games at Adelaide Oval, mainly for our fans to be able to come and watch us after supporting us from afar,” he said.

“They’ve been so loyal and supportive and it’ll just be a great reward for them.

“We also love playing in front of that roar and 20,000 will probably feel like 50,000 knowing our supporters.”