Much like Brazilian World Cup star Neymar, Port Adelaide has suffered a fractured vertebra.
On Saturday night that key defenders Alipate Carlile and Jackson Trengove were missed. The two are critical to Ken Hinkley’s team’s spine.
In retrospect, over the season Port Adelaide have had their fair share of injuries, it was just that majority of the players who suffered injuries in the first part of the year were playing for the Port Adelaide Magpies rather than in the AFL for the Power.
Cameron Hitchcock has been battling injuries all year, up-and-coming key forward Mason Shaw hurt his wrist so badly he had to go on the long term injury list, and youngster Sam Colquhoun is out for the season with a knee injury. There were and are various second-tier players who have suffered injuries at Alberton.
Many believed Port Adelaide’s injury-free run came to an end when Carlile and Trengove limped away from Showdown 37, but it really ended when Angus Monfries copped the first of numerous ankle injuries against Hawthorn in Round 10.
After a trip to Alice Springs in Round 11, Power captain Travis Boak and valuable speedster Matt White were taken out after sustaining ankle and foot injuries respectively. Port Adelaide players Andrew Moore and Paul Stewart also walked away wounded from the battle with Melbourne.
Either Ken Hinkley or high performance manager Darren Burgess must have walked by a black cat by the time Round 13 came around, as Jared Polec did not pass a fitness test to face Sydney Swans after rolling his ankle against St Kilda the weekend before.
That totaled three ankle injuries in as many weeks.
Another rolled ankle occurred, this time Hamish Hartlett, during the Swans game. He could not finish the match, being subbed off in the third quarter.
Showdown 37 came around and it seemed Port Adelaide were playing their full strength side after every player came out of the Round 14 match-up with Western Bulldogs unscathed.
Unfortunately for Port Adelaide’s spine, Trengove was subbed out of the game at halftime with, yet again, an ankle injury. The club also stated that Carlile would undergo scans on one of his hamstrings after pulling up sore from the loss to Adelaide.
Last Wednesday, the club reported that Carlile’s scans discovered a minor hamstring strain, which would see him on the sidelines for at least three weeks. Later the same day the club also revealed Trengove had successful surgery after straining his ankle. Trengove would be expected to sit out for at least five weeks.
The skies are clearing for the Power, with utility Paul Stewart and promising young midfielder Andrew Moore returning through the SANFL this weekend. However, with the key players Carlile and Trengove still out of the Power’s 22, it’ll be interesting to see how Port Adelaide’s defense lines up against the likes of Jack Riewoldt and Ty Vickery.
Gyfox
Guest
Losses by under a goal in close games against Sydney & Essendon are not a disaster. It is just that we have become used to Port running all over other teams & playing exciting football. And under the Melb media radar until Gerard Whateley fell in love with them!
Radelaide
Guest
Yes Franko, this will be the game that will tell us if we have been worked out or don't play the right game plan in the wet. I don't think we are getting tired as we came at both Crows and Bombers in the last quarters so certainly that roof will either allow us to get some confidence back or act as a pressure cooker. Fingers crossed.
Franko
Guest
Not won a game in the wet I don't think??? Roof on against Richmond this week :)
Radelaide
Guest
Yeah but I tend to think all the rolled ankles might be a symptom of the manic style of play we play but like you said at least it's not soft tissue which is good from a fitness point of view. Still think our problem is less injury and more not adapting to the conditions.
Franko
Guest
Port haven't really suffered soft tissue injuries, unless rolling an ankle is soft tissue?
Momentbymoment
Guest
Yes having Tippett and Goodes out at the start of the year was perfect. It helped focus the team on our pressure game. Pykes injury allowed us to blood TD and losing Hanners and Shaw has helped us build depth. It almost feels like a conspiracy. Once again Bosk - spot on.
Bosk
Guest
Its funny Franko because I can think of another team in recent times that burst out of the blocks and took the competition by storm in the first half of the year, only to suffer a raft of soft-tissue injuries in the second half as their run & carry-reliant gameplan became exposed - Essendon in 2012.
Bosk
Guest
Err... Gene did you just lump Sydney in with Freo & Hawthorn as teams who've been hard hit by injuries? Surely you must know the Swans have had the kindest run of injuries of any team in the competition this year.
Franko
Guest
Interesting to note that most injuries at Port are down to impact or incident. Very very few soft tissue injuries, which is a credit to the coaching staff, limiting injuries is as an important part of the game as kicking straight these days. They've come a long way with just one ruckman and a host of players missing for one-two weeks here and there, but this will be a greater test as so many talls are missing. Still, if they can't beat Richmond and Melbourne, they shouldn't be hunting top 4. As Kenny says "We'll get what we deserve".
Cat
Roar Guru
Port did everything they could during their dream run of being virtually injury free amongst their best 22 (compared to rival teams) and a 'kind' draw but now the true tests come, how will the team stand up when key players are out (Hawthorn, Geelong, Sydney, Freo have been dealing with this on multiple levels all year), the niggles pile up amongst the young stars and the draw becomes a bit less 'kind'. I won't write off Port after dropping 3 of their last 4, like so many did when the Cats dropped 3 of 4, but I think its fair to certainly question them while also giving them the same benefit of doubt the Cats were due, there is still plenty of time to reverse form and get players back.