When Matt Thomas runs out for Port Adelaide against Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday he could be excused for feeling a little sense of accomplishment. Thomas has fought back from being hospitalised and losing 15kgs during the off-season to now be part of the Power once again.
The Power named an extended interchange bench of seven players on Thursday evening but 20-year-old Thomas was named to start on the ground, meaning he will play on Sunday.
Thomas, the Power’s best first year player in 2006, had complications from an appendix operation in the off-season, forcing him to miss months of pre-season training and having to regain all the weight he lost while in hospital.
But the hard-working youngster achieved all that and was playing for Norwood in the SANFL by Round 1. His form has been outstanding and he will be a tough, midfield / half-back option for the Power on Sunday.
Daniel Motlop and Danyle Pearce have been named to play for the first time since Round 1 and 2 respectively although both are on the seven-man interchange bench that will be reduced to four on Friday evening.
Motlop injured his ankle early in the Power’s Round 1 win over Fremantle, while Pearce has been on the comeback trail for a hamstring strain since Round 2.
Ruckman Dean Brogan, who was expected to be the Power’s third big return from injury this week, did not do enough to prove his fitness.
It could prove the opening young ruckman Fabian Deluca needs to play his first match since getting three games in the first half of last season. The selection committee could decide to go with Deluca as ruck support for Brendon Lade rather than ask Lade to ruck solo against Melbourne’s triple ruck options in Jeff White, Mark Jamar and Paul Johnson.
Justin Westhoff, who is the height of a ruckman but plays exclusively as a key forward, is in the mix for his AFL debut, having started the SANFL’s 2007 season in a blaze of glory until he got suspended.
The Power was forced to leave out Michael Wilson (torn pectoral muscle) and Steven Salopek (hamstring). Wilson will miss around six weeks, while the club is hopeful of Salopek returning next week against Richmond.
Salopek was forced out of Wednesday’s training major training session with his tight hamstring and had not improved enough by Thursday, the club deciding he would need at a week on the sidelines.
The club’s current estimate is he will miss one or two weeks.
The Power trains on Friday at Alberton Oval from midday before flying to Melbourne on Saturday afternoon.
Check PortAdelaideFC.com.au from 4.30pm on Friday to see the Power’s final 22.
The Power’s 25-man squad named on Thursday is as follows...
B: Troy Chaplin, Darryl Wakelin, Michael Pettigrew
HB: Jacob Surjan, Chad Cornes, Matthew Thomas
C: Nathan Lonie, Kane Cornes, Dom Cassisi
HF: Peter Burgoyne, Warren Tredrea, Josh Mahoney
F: Greg Bentley, Damon White, Brett Ebert
Foll: Brendon Lade, Shaun Burgoyne, David Rodan
Interchange from: Fabian Deluca, Nathan Krakouer, Daniel Motlop, Danyle Pearce, Toby Thurstans, Brad Symes, Justin Westhoff
IN: Deluca, Motlop, Pearce, Thomas, Westhoff
OUT: Salopek (hamstring), Wilson (pectoral)
