2. DARRYL Wakelin: Wakelin was left out ofthe team in round two for match-up reasons, but was rushed back in to standMagpie gun Anthony Rocca the following week. The reliable defender played everygame thereafter, providing the young Power defence with his noted leadershipand strength. Wakelin celebrated his 250th game by keeping Saint Fraser Gehriggoalless and restricted Coleman Medal contender Matthew Lloyd to just one lastweek.

9. Jacob Surjan: Surj is a player whosecommitment and determination can never be questioned. The rugged halfbackmissed just one game through injury and asserted himself as one of the Power’smost consistent contributors. Surjan demonstrated the ability to have an impactin the midfield and also to run with some of the league’s premier smallforwards. The courageous West Australian will be looking for a solidsecond-half to an already career-best season.

12. Nathan Lonie: The Power’s link manplayed 10 games before being squeezed out and sent back to SANFL side North Adelaide. Lonie racks up a lot of touches but thePower want more scoreboard reward from his raking left foot. The 24-year-oldimpressed with 23 touches for the Roosters last week and with a few more solidperformances will be back knocking on the door for selection.

21. Michael Wilson: The hard-nut defenderstarted the season in spectacular fashion patrolling across halfback and addinggrunt to the Power’s onball brigade. Wilsonled Port Adelaide to victory over Collingwood in round four before suffering afreak pectoral injury a week later. Wilbur was ruled out for two months but intypical fashion fought back and put his hand up for selection after just fourweeks. Long considered the heart and soul of the Power, Wilson will be a priceless asset to theclub’s finals’ aspirations.

23. Brad Symes: Symes showed tremendousstrength of character this season bouncing between the Power and CentralDistricts in rounds one to eight. Each time Symes headed back to Elizabeth the talentedonballer made it impossible for Mark Williams to overlook him with severalbest-on-ground performances. Symes returned to the Power line-up in round 10and reiterated his 2006 NAB Rising Star nomination with a 23-possession game inthe loss to Carlton.With a groin complaint behind him Symes will want to stay in the side for theremainder of the year.

25: Dom Cassisi: An ever-reliable performerCassisi’s best game was undoubtedly in the round 12 clash with Essendon. Thedogged defender finished with a season-high 32 possessions and 11 marks, madeeven more impressive in a game without tempo footy. Cassisi signed a newcontract with the club earlier this year to make him a career-Port Adelaide player. Theconsistent West Australian is just six games shy of his 100th and will belooking to build on his brilliant form of last week.

28. Toby Thurstans: Having played most ofhis junior footy in defence it’s no surprise Thurstans looks more comfortablethis season. The resurrection of Thurstans’ back-line career allowed MarkWilliams to shuffle the deck and release Chad Cornes into the midfield. Theagile 26-year-old matched up on some of the most athletic talls in the game,including Scott Lucas and Chris Tarrant. Still learning his trade, Thurstanssecond half to the season promises to be even better than his first.

30. Troy Chaplin: Another of the Power’s2006 NAB Rising Star nominees, Chaplin had his early-season ruined by a smallfracture in his foot that sidelined him from round six onwards. Chaplin isanother player Williams has earmarked for a key defensive post and the clubwill be hoping the 21-year-old can make a return in the coming weeks.

32. Matt Thomas: The 20-year-old had awell-documented ordeal over the pre-season, with complications from anappendectomy causing him to lose 16kg and almost his life. But in a testamentto the young Victorian’s character, Thomas fought back to make his AFL returnin round six. The club’s 2006 best first-year player went back to Norwood only to injurehis knee. Thomas has been ruled out for at least a month, but expect to see the20-year-old pushing for selection later this year.

36. Michael Pettigrew: Despite beingwheelchair bound at the end of last year Pettigrew recovered in time for thePower’s opening clash with Fremantle. The lightning quick defender played everygame in the first 12 rounds and cemented his spot in the Port Adelaide backline. Pettigrew has the versatility to play on both talls and smalls and willcontinue to learn playing on some of the league’s best.

Theviews in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of theclub.