Port Adelaide’s ruck insurance coverage coverage has paid off forward of novice Dante Visentini’s call-up to play Geelong on Friday night time, Power coach Ken Hinkley says.
The 21-year-old Visentini will play simply his fourth AFL sport when the seventh-placed Power meet the second-spot Cats in Geelong.
Visentini has been summoned as a result of absences of fellow rucks Ivan Soldo (knee) and Jordon Sweet (virus).
The Power recruited each Soldo and Sweet on the finish of final season when ruck stalwart Scott Lycett retired.
“We’ve been lucky this year and it has proven to be a pretty good decision to have a few rucks around,” Hinkley mentioned.
“We knew at the start of the season we had three rucks – which one would be in front all the time, we didn’t know.
“And Ivan began off rather well, Jordon confirmed in his final two video games that he actually can play AFL soccer.
“And we have absolute confidence in Vis as the youngest of the three that he can certainly do it as well, which we’ve seen in the last 12 months.”
Visentini’s final AFL sport was towards the Cats in Geelong in spherical 21 final 12 months when the house aspect overturned a 3 quarter-time deficit to win by 12 factors.
In that fixture Esava Ratugolea was a standout, taking eight marks for Geelong.
Ratugolea was lured to Port at season’s finish and can now meet his former membership for the primary time.
“He’s excited,” Hinkley mentioned.
“He has got a lot of great friends down there and a lot of respect for the Geelong Football Club, having played there for a good period of time, and they gave him his chance.
“I’m positive he’d be a little bit bit nervous round going again to Geelong to play soccer.
“But the reality is we’ve had two or three boys do that this year (play against former sides) already and we’ll support him really strongly.”
Ratugolea’s defensive accomplice Aliir Aliir returns after lacking final week’s loss to Adelaide due to concussion whereas Jeremy Finlayson, Francis Evans and Josh Sinn have additionally been recalled.
Power skipper Connor Rozee (hamstring), halfback Lachie Jones, wingman Jason Burgoyne (groin) and Sweet have been sidelined whereas Dylan Williams was dropped.
The Cats have rested Zach Tuohy and Jack Bowes whereas Tanner Bruhn will miss due to a shoulder damage – Mark O’Connor, Brandan Parfitt and Oisin Mullen have been recalled.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
