Injury-hit Port make four changes for Geelong game
Injury-hit Port Adelaide have made four forced changes for what coach Ken Hinkley describes as the toughest AFL task – playing Geelong in Geelong.
Captain Connor Rozee (hamstring), defender Lachie Jones (hamstring), ruckman Jordon Sweet (virus) and winger Jason Burgoyne (groin) will all miss Friday night’s fixture.
Hinkley has summoned three-gamer Dante Visentini to lead the rucks, while Jeremy Finlayson, Josh Sinn and Aliir Aliir also return.
Jeremy Finlayson returns to the Port Adelaide line-up after serving a three-match suspension. (Morgan Hancock/AAP PHOTOS)
Finlayson will play his first AFL game since being suspended for three games for making a homophobic slur during a game a month ago, while Aliir missed Port’s loss to Adelaide last weekend because of concussion.
“There’s a bit going on,” Hinkley told reporters at Adelaide airport on Thursday.
“We know the challenge of beating Geelong in Geelong and what it has been like for us particularly, but for every club out there.
“It’s probably still the biggest task in footy.
“We’d be foolish not to acknowledge the talent of the team that we come up against.
“I’m sure they have been the best-ranked team since about 2005 or 2006 … as far as evenness goes and performing at a very, very high level.”
The Power, who have won just twice from 16 attempts in away games against the Cats, hold seventh spot with five wins and three losses.
But Hinkley knows Port must improve their record against top-end teams to be rated legitimate premiership contenders.
“That’s fair and it’s obvious,” he said.
“We are five-three (win-loss), we would have liked to be a little bit better than that clearly.
“We’re not too far off the pace and not too far off the pack.
“But the reality is that as the season unfolds, you have to beat teams who are going to be a part of the finals.”
Second-placed Geelong suffered their first defeat of the season last-start against Melbourne after seven consecutive wins.