PORTAdelaide key defender Jackson Trengove isstill in the mix for the club's round one cash against Carlton on March 16despite jarring his knee at training on Monday.
Therewas initial fear the 23-year-old had suffered ligament damage after landing awkwardly in a markingcontest, but the club's defence coach Matthew Nicks said scans had revealedonly bone bruising.
Trengove,a joint winner of the 2011 John Cahill Medal, will miss up to a month ofpre-season training but Nicks hoped hewould be available for the last hit-out against St Kilda on March 8.
"Our initial thoughtwas, 'Are we going to lose him for a fair bit of the season?' It probablylooked worse than what it's ended up - a bit of bone bruising.
"Bone bruising is something thateveryone reacts to differently in their recovery so we'll just see how he getsthrough it.
"St Kilda's [our last trial game]so we'd be really hoping he's back by then."
Should Trengove's recovery take longerthan expected, Nicks said youngsters Jack Hombsch and Tom Clurey would proveworthy round-one replacements.
Hombsch played some impressive footballfor the Power last year after crossing from Greater Western Sydney, while the193cm Clurey has enjoyed a bumper pre-season.
The 19-year-old developed significantlyin the SANFL last season and appears likely to debut at some point in 2014.
"Jack Hombsch has trained reallywell this pre-season. Tommy Clurey is another young guy that not many peoplewould have seen a lot of and has been fantastic," Nicks said.
"These guys have been training allpre-season on Jay Schulz and Justin Westhoff and John Butcher, so they've beenlearning – this is just an opportunity for them now.
"I'd love to see some of theseguys … Hombsch has already shown that he's definitely got the ability at thelevel, Clurey's a young up and coming player but I'm sure if given theopportunity he'd stand up."
Nicks also praised the training form of high profilerecruit Jared Polec, saying he had taken his game to "the next level"over the summer.
Polec arrived at Alberton having failed to live up tothe hype generated as a top-five pick from the 2010 NAB AFL Draft, withinjuries largely to blame.
But Nicks said he had been excited by Polec's changein attitude and his potential in the Power's backline.
"I've seen a transformation of a young player,super talented as far as his football goes and he's bought into our defensivemindset," he said.
"That's a credit to some of our senior playerswho have basically put him under their wing and said this is how we play.
"I've seen a huge change in him - just hismindset to defend and what's required to playing some good footy at this club.
"Offensively there's no question he's gotability - he's now found another level; he's taken his defence to that nextlevel."
