OLLIE Wines is set to return for Port Adelaide on Sunday as the Power look to maintain their unbeaten start against Fremantle.
Wines missed Port's record-breaking Showdown triumph over Adelaide on Saturday night through suspension after breaching the AFL's COVID-19 protocols.
He conducted an interview with Channel Seven at his home, which went against the strict rules at the time for players, who weren't supposed to have anybody visit.
However, the Power weren't going to select Wines in the senior side, anyway, as he made his way back from a pre-season shoulder setback.
Port football boss Chris Davies revealed on Thursday the 25-year-old midfielder was comfortably the best player afield in a practice match with Adelaide that preceded the Showdown.
"Ollie was clearly the best person on the ground, in my view, in that scratch match at the weekend," Davies told reporters.
"He's trained well, as we said last week. He got through the game in good nick and he'll be one of the guys I'm sure the coaches will look at from a selection standpoint for this weekend."
Another high-profile Power player, Jack Watts, performed well in the same game and is also challenging for a senior spot soon, Davies said.
In other news, defender Ryan Burton has undergone knee surgery after sustaining some cartilage damage in the win over the Crows.
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Davies said Burton was likely to be sidelined for 3-4 weeks but would still be one of the 33 Port Adelaide footballers to travel to Gold Coast on Friday, in the hope he can play by round five.
The Power will leave 12 squad members in Adelaide to focus on their development.
