Things sure have changed at Alberton. Port Adelaide will take on Fremantle on Saturday in Round 1 of 2007 with nine players who weren’t part of the Power’s last
Things sure have changed at Alberton. Port Adelaide will take on Fremantle on Saturday in Round 1 of 2007 with nine players who weren’t part of the Power’s last game in 2006 – ironically also against Fremantle at Subiaco.The team includes three players pulling on Power guernseys for the first time – David Rodan, who has played 65 games for Richmond, Nathan Krakouer, and Adam Cockshell.It is an unlikely trio. A few months ago it would have seemed an impossible trio.Rodan was the last player taken in the 2006 NAB AFL Draft after being discarded by Richmond last year.Krakouer weighs just 66kg and was expected to need at least a year before being ready for AFL action.Cockshell was the last player the Power added to its list when it took him from Norwood in the NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft.It is an unlikely trio indeed but they have all had sensational pre-seasons and thoroughly deserve their spots, despite edging out some teammates who had become regulars in the side late last year.The other six players who will play on Saturday but weren’t part of the Round 22 team are: Jacob Surjan, Michael Wilson, Nathan Lonie, Damon White, Michael Pettigrew and Daniel Motlop. All six missed the last game last year with injury.The nine players who were part of last year’s Round 22 side who aren’t playing on Saturday are: Greg Bentley, Matthew Bishop, Stuart Dew, Adam Kingsley, Nick Lower, Josh Mahoney, Matt Thomas, Peter Walsh and Ryan Willits.The Power only has three players it wasn’t able to pick through injury. They are Warren Tredrea (knee), Peter Burgoyne (thigh), and Mahoney (ankle).Dean Brogan and Michael Pettigrew were both cleared to play after battling hamstring and ankle injuries through the week.Port Adelaide will give itself an extra night in Perth by travelling on Thursday afternoon. It trains in Perth at Leederville Oval from 2pm on Friday.The Power’s 22 to face Fremantle in Round 1 on Saturday is as follows...B: Jacob Surjan, Darryl Wakelin, Troy Chaplin HB: Michael Wilson, Chad Cornes, Nathan Lonie C: Nathan Krakouer, Kane Cornes, Steven Salopek HF: Brett Ebert, Damon White, David Rodan F: Danyle Pearce, Brendon Lade, Michael Pettigrew R: Dean Brogan, Shaun Burgoyne, Dom Cassisi Interchange: Adam Cockshell, Tom Logan, Daniel Motlop, Toby Thurstans Emergencies: Greg Bentley, Brad Symes, Justin Westhoff
