PORT ADELAIDE coach Ken Hinkley has revealed five changes to his side to take on Sydney on Saturday, and says he expects they will all be able to influence the game.
Hinkley announced the inclusion of Ryan Burton, Connor Rozee, Todd Marshall, Xavier Duursma and Cam Sutcliffe at his weekly pre-game press conference.
Burton, Rozee and Marshall are each returning from injury, and Hinkley said he was confident they were fine to come straight back into the side.
“You put some thought into it but the season, with where we’re at, and with only four games to go and they’ve missed a bit of footy,” he explained.
“With the ability to play proper matches. If they’re prepared well and they can come back and have an influence, and we think they will.
“It’s good to get those type of players back.
“They’ve just got to come in and play a role – it’s the old coach line – but we’re excited to have them back and we think they’ll make us better.”
Sutcliffe has played two games this season with his most recent coming in the Round 11 win over Richmond.
Duursma was omitted last week but impressed in a hit-out involving Hawthorn and Port’s non-selected AFL players.
“He did exactly what we thought he’d do,” Hinkley said of Duursma.
“He went out in a match simulation session and dominated it pretty well, got plenty of the footy and did things that Xavier normally does for us.
“We put a bit of a break in the traffic for him and helped him re-set and I think he’ll be fine.”
Going out of the team will be Steven Motlop, Jarrod Lienert, Boyd Woodcock, Sam Mayes and Mitch Georgiades.
Georgiades is the only one injured, having picked up a minor hamstring complaint at training on Wednesday.
The first-year forward joins fellow first-year player Dylan Williams as the only players on the club’s injury list.
“There’s a lot of good management, sometimes there’s a lot of good luck with some of the injuries you get on your list because (usually) you’ve had two full games going on all the time and we haven’t had that opportunity to play lots of SANFL games or anything like that so our injury list is in a pretty good position,” Hinkley said saying his side was well placed for the business end of the season.
“We’ve got our best opportunities like every club would wish for if you can get your best players, your list, available at the right time.”
Saturday’s game at Adelaide Oval will be the 100th AFL game for reliable defender Darcy Byrne-Jones.
Last year’s best and fairest runner-up, has become a fan favourite and Hinkley said he was an important player.
“It’s been quite amazing. His journey is one we’re quite proud of,” the coach said.
“He was a late-ish pick, he’s had to fight his whole way through. Bar sleeping in once, he would have played 100-straight games.
“It’s great recognition of a player who is very very important to our footy club.”
As for the 16th placed Swans, Hinkley said they had played better than their results suggested and were well coached by John Longmire.
“What we do know about the Swans is that they’re really predictable and they’re really well coached by John,” he said.
“They’ll play a tough brand of football, they’ll be hard work, they’re good at restricting sides and they’re great in the contest and do so well with their leadership players and their head coach.
“I think we know what to expect from Sydney and that’s a four-quarter game.”
First bounce at Adelaide Oval is at 1:15pm on Saturday.
