PORT Adelaide has cleared Hamish Hartlett and Todd Marshall of pre-season injuries, putting them in the selection frame for the Power’s season-opener.
Hartlett (hamstring) and Marshall (cheek) both missed Port's final pre-season game as they continued their recoveries.
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However, both trained on Tuesday, prompting Power assistant coach Nathan Bassett to declare the pair ready for round-one selection.
"They're good at this stage," Bassett said.
"Hamish is on track to be available, the same as Todd ... we would expect them both to be in the selection mix."
The fitness of the pair presents Port's selection committee with a welcome headache ahead of the club's away fixture against North Melbourne on Sunday.
Only Connor Rozee, who is recovering from foot surgery, and Sam Powell-Pepper, who has taken leave for personal reasons, are unavailable from Port's frontline team.
The Power are certain to give club debuts to recruits Aliir Aliir and Orazio Fantasia, putting a further squeeze on for spots at a club that went all the way to a preliminary final last year.
Uncapped trio Jackson Mead, Lachlan Jones and Miles Bergman are also pressing for selection after strong pre-seasons.
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"We have got some confidence that our younger people can certainly perform a role in the team if they get that opportunity," Bassett said.
"It's nice to have some guys who haven't played ... that we think can contribute at AFL level."
Bassett was also heartened by the continued growth of what he described as Port's "mid-tier" aged players.
"We have certainly got some good young people that are coming through to the team and some that have already played a fair amount of AFL football," he said.
"The mid-tier or mid-age group is growing as well. There has probably been a little bit of a hole in our group in that space.
"But like Karl Amon, Dan Houston, Darcy Byrne-Jones, (Ryan) Burton and (Riley) Bonner, Tom Clurey - there's some good players in there."
