PORT Adelaide is concerned about a lack of match practice for former Essendon pair Paddy Ryder and Angus Monfries, but both will be ready to start the season against Fremantle in round one.
Ryder and Monfries are available for selection after provisional suspensions held them out of the NAB Challenge as the AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal considered its verdict on 34 past and present Bombers.
That robbed them of match practice, but coach Ken Hinkley said otherwise full pre-seasons meant they were fit and available to face the Dockers at Patersons Stadium on Sunday.
"There's some concern about match practice, but there's concern about other players. That's just the way it is," Hinkley said on AFL.com.au's First Bounce.
"I could sit here and say no, but reality says that there would be a little bit of concern about that.
"They haven't missed any training, they're as fit and as ready to go as anyone on our list … that's the key for us."
Hamish Hartlett, Chad Wingard and Jackson Trengove are other key players who appear certain to return for Port Adelaide without any match practice through the NAB Challenge.
Hinkley said the trio, who were hampered by knee, groin and shoulder injuries respectively, had since done "a lot of training".
"They (Wingard and Hartlett) will both play this week and Jackson Trengove's the same," the coach said.
"They haven't played footy though [this pre-season] and that's the concern we have with all those players.
"But they're fit, they're ready to play and I'm not in the habit of not picking good players."
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