Port Adelaide have unveiled their plan to down Hawthorn in Friday night’s preliminary final – height.
With key forward Todd Marshall recalled and the Power sticking with pillars Esava Ratugolea, Mitch Georgiades and – somewhat surprisingly after a horror qualifying final – veteran Charlie Dixon, the Port forward line is set to resemble a land of giants as Ken Hinkley aims to overpower a Hawks defence minus the injured Sam Frost in the air.
Small forward Jed McEntee makes way, while youngster Josh Sinn, pick 12 in the 2021 national draft, has also been recalled, with defender Ryan Burton (calf) joining Dan Houston (suspended) and Kane Farrell (hamstring) as Power backmen on the sidelines.
The semi-final will be Sinn’s ninth career game and first since Round 16; remarkably, of the nine, four will have been against Hawthorn, for two wins and one loss – a shock 64-point thrashing at the Adelaide Oval in his debut game back in 2022.
Win a Ziggy BBQ for Grand Final day, thanks to Barbeques Galore! Enter Here.
Star midfielder Zak Butters has been named despite carrying a ribs knock that saw him subbed out of the Power’s 84-point qualifying final loss to Geelong at half time.
The Hawks, meanwhile, have confirmed youngster Jai Serong will replace Frost (foot) in defence, owing to outstanding VFL form for Box Hill.
The key defender, younger brother of Fremantle dual All-Australian Caleb, will play his tenth career game on Friday night at the Adelaide Oval, and first since the Hawks’ one-point loss to the Power in Round 10; with Port loading up with tall forwards galore, the 21-year old is set to play a crucial role.
Despite being at full fitness, winger Changkuoth Jiath has missed out on selection, with the Hawks rewarding the group which soundly beat the Western Bulldogs in last week’s elimination final.
Brisbane will take an unchanged line-up to ENGIE Stadium to battle GWS, with key defender Jack Payne named despite a knee concern that saw him subbed out against Carlton in the elimination final.
The Giants have made just one change – tagger Toby Bedford has returned from a calf complaint that saw him miss the Giants’ Round 24 loss to the Western Bulldogs and qualifying final defeat to Sydney, with youngster Toby McMullin, who was subbed out against the Swans, making way.
Full Teams
FRIDAY NIGHT
Port Adelaide
B: Jones, Zerk-Thatcher, Bergman
HB: Sinn, Aliir, L Evans
C: Burgoyne, Wines, Drew
HF: Byrne-Jones, Ratugolea, Rioli
F: Georgiades, Dixon, Rozee (c)
R: Sweet, Horne-Francis, Butters
I/C: T Marshall, Boak, F Evans, Narkle, Mead (one to sub)
EMG: Williams, Lorenz, Visentini
IN: T Marshall, Sinn.
OUT: Burton, McEntee.
Hawthorn
B: Hardwick, Serong, Impey
HB: Ward, Sicily (c), Scrimshaw
C: Amon, Moore, Weddle
HF: Maginness, Chol, Macdonald
F: Ginnivan, Breust, Watson
R: Meek, Worpel, Newcombe
I/C: Morrision, Nash, D’Ambrosio, Gunston, Dear (one to sub)
EMG: Reeves, Jiath, Hustwaite
IN: Serong.
OUT: Frost.
SATURDAY NIGHT
GWS
B: Himmelberg, Taylor, Idun
HB: Whitfield, Buckley, Perryman
C: Callaghan, Green, Kelly
HF: Daniels, Cadman, Cumming
F: Jones, Hogan, Greene (c)
R: Briggs, Coniglio, Peatling
I/C: Ash, Ward, Bedford, Keeffe, O’Halloran (one to sub)
EMG: Haynes, Riccardi, McMullin
IN: Bedford.
OUT: McMullin.
Brisbane
B: Zorko, Andrews (c), McKenna
HB: Wilmot, Payne, Lester
C: Fletcher, Ashcroft, McCluggage
HF: Rayner, Daniher, Berry
F: Cameron, Hipwood, Bailey
R: McInerney, Dunkley, Neale (c)
I/C: Lohmann, Ah Chee, Morris, Starcevich, Answerth (one to sub)
EMG: Sharp, Fort, Joyce
NO CHANGE