PORT Adelaide coach Mark Williams says he understands the reason behind intra-club training scuffles, such as the one that broke out between Carlton duo Setanta O’hAilpin and Cameron Cloke last month.
O’hAilpin was reported and suspended for a month after punching and kicking his teammate during an internal trial at Visy Park, but has since been welcomed back to the club.
Williams is currently witnessing a fierce battle for spots on his own doorstep and said the players were using training sessions to try and establish a place high in the selection pecking order.
“The players are sorting themselves out, whether it’s one-on-one on the track, a team grouping, or quarter-by-quarter and there’s a bit of tension there,” Williams said after training on Friday.
“I talked to (AFL chairman) Mike Fitzpatrick the other day about blokes belting each other at training and I can understand it. It’s happened in the past and it will happen again.
“People get frustrated that they’re not in the side and if people get in their way ...get out of their way.”
The Power have named a 29-man-squad to tackle Geelong in the NAB Cup quarter-final at AAMI Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Emerging leader Steve Salopek, onballer David Rodan, defender Michael Pettigrew and exciting forward Robbie Gray have all been added to the squad. Three players miss out when the squad is cut to 26 on Friday afternoon.
“We don’t have many injury concerns. It’s a great position to be in and if we were in the same position in four weeks time, we’d be rapt,” he said.
“We’re building that depth, but it only counts when someone is out of the side and people come in and perform. In four or five weeks time when we have to pick the side and we have Peter and Shaun Burgoyne available it’s going to be mighty disappointing for four or five players, who could easily say they should be in the side.
“I have to look them in the eye and say; ‘you’re unlucky’ and that’s nothing more than almost a toss of the coin as to the difference between who is in and who is out.”
In the past, Port Adelaide has been criticised for not playing contested footy, but the players received high praise following their committed effort against stoppage-specialists, the Sydney Swans, in Canberra last week.
Williams said the Power would be focused on winning the clearances, inside 50m count and improving their efficiency in attack in a bid to topple the in-form Cats.
“Geelong’s had a good record against us in recent times and they’ll certainly make it very difficult for us to win this week,” Williams said.
“Coming off their grand final loss last year, Geelong will be hurting in that regard, so I’m thinking they’ll come into the game really focussed about getting a good result. We’re disappointed with where we were last year, so it all bodes well for the standard of the game and for the crowds to get along and see it.”
Geelong will be without stars Gary Ablett, Cameron Ling, Steve Johnson and Cameron Mooney, while the Burgoyne brothers are the only first-choice players missing from Port Adelaide’s side.
The Power’s membership numbers are up on the back of some exciting, recent form and Williams said it was important his side kept performing.
“You saw the Ben Cousins effect last night with the amount of people going to the game and showing interest in Richmond at the moment,” he said.
“For our club, it’s seen that we’re on a bit of a roll. People are keen and active about the start of the season and it’s always been the case at this club that we need to show some early form to get some people involved.”
Saturday’s game at AAMI Stadium has been brought forward to 3:10pm (local time) to allow Geelong to fly home the same evening.
