Port Adelaide’s recent form: LLWLL

Recent results against Brisbane Lions
Round four, 2008, Brisbane Lions 18.16 (124) d Port Adelaide 16.8 (104), AAMI
Round 13, 2007, Port Adelaide 17.10 (112) d Brisbane Lions 15.15 (105), Gabba
Round eight, 2006, Brisbane Lions 22.15 (147) d Port Adelaide 10.18 (78), AAMI
Round 21, 2005, Port Adelaide 11.15 (81) d Brisbane Lions 7.9 (51), Gabba
Round two, 2005, Port Adelaide 11.9 (75) d Brisbane Lions 11.7 (73), AAMI

Medical room          
Port Adelaide
Robbie Gray (knee/groin) - test
Travis Boak (knee) - 3-4 weeks
Shaun Burgoyne (knee) – ongoing assessment
Chad Cornes (knee) – 3 weeks
Hamish Hartlett (hamstring) – 4 weeks
Daniel Motlop (ankle) – 7 weeks
Matt Thomas (knee) – 2-3 weeks

Brisbane Lions
Matt Austin (ankle) - TBC
Josh Drummond (calf) - test
Kieran King (ankle) - test
Scott Clouston (foot) - 1 week
Troy Selwood (shoulder) - 3-5 weeks
Matthew Leuenberger (knee) - 7 weeks
Bart McCulloch (quad) - season
Jamie Charman (ankle) - season
Pat Garner (knee) – season

Summary

Injuries to key players remain a concern, but with this big block now in place there’s a genuine belief the Power can mount a charge on the top eight.

Port Adelaide must win six of its remaining nine games to secure a finals berth, but face a tough task this week in the form of the fifth-placed Brisbane Lions.

Through the sustained brilliance of veterans Jonathan Brown, Luke Power and Simon Black, the Lions have notched up six wins from their past eight starts and hold no fear of AAMI Stadium where they’ve won the last two games played between the two sides.

The Power have slipped to 10th on the ladder, but remain only percentage out of the top eight and will be buoyed by a solid final quarter showing against Geelong last week.

Key match-up
Alipate Carlile v Jonathan Brown
Carlile has quickly established himself as the cornerstone of Port Adelaide’s defence. The 22-year-old was blooded as an old fashioned full-back, but now appears equally as comfortable across half-back. Brown has been in stellar touch in the first half of the season, booting 45 goals in 13 games (including 14 in the last three weeks) to lead the Coleman Medal race. The resurgent Toby Thurstans is the Power’s other option for Brown, but he could get the equally important job on Daniel Bradshaw.

Kick it to me
David Rodan backed up a solid game prior to the break with another influential display at Skilled Stadium. The lightning fast Fijian racked up 23 disposals (nine contested), six clearances and four inside 50s. He also worked hard the other way laying a game-high eight tackles. Rodan has the raw ability to create something out of nothing and, in the absence of Shaun Burgoyne and Daniel Motlop, is the Power’s x-factor.

Somebody stop me
Simon Black’s recent form has seen his name creep up the shortlist of Brownlow Medal contenders. The evergreen midfielder is averaging an equal-career-high 26 possessions this season and almost always uses the ball to perfection. Black blitzed the Melbourne midfield with 29 possessions (13 contested) and six clearances last week and should earn the tag of Kane Cornes on Saturday.

At the selection table
Port Adelaide has no players returning from injury to call upon and unlucky forward Robbie Gray will need to prove his fitness after injuring his knee/groin in the loss to Geelong. The Power were pleased with its final-quarter performance last weekend and are unlikely to swing any major changes. Paul Stewart, who was named in the 25-man-squad to take on the Cats, performed well in the SANFL and draftee Matthew Broadbent is still on the verge after travelling with the team last week.

It’s not generally known that...
David Rodan took 10 running bounces against the Cats in round 13, the second best for the round behind Sydney Swan Rhyce Shaw, who finished with 12.

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.