Preview: Port Adelaide v Brisbane
VENUE & TIME: AAMI Stadium, Saturday 4 July, 3.10pm (AEST)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 22, Port Adelaide 10, Brisbane 10, Draws 2
LAST TIME: Brisbane 18.16 (124) def Port Adelaide 16.8 (104), Round 4, 2008 at AAMI Stadium.
WALKING WOUNDED: Many of Port Adelaide's big name players remain on the sidelines with Daniel Motlop (ankle) out for another seven weeks, Chad Cornes' knee injury will see him miss another three weeks, Travis Boak (knee) is still a month away from resuming while there's still no news when Shaun Burgoyne is expected to make a comeback from his knee complaint. Matt Thomas (knee) and first-year player Hamish Hartlett (hamstring) are still weeks away from resuming too. For Brisbane, Josh Drummond (calf) and Kieran King (ankle) will face medical tests this week while Scott Clouston (foot) remains a week away from playing. Troy Selwood's shoulder will see him on the outer for another 2-3 weeks while it will be a race against time to get Matthew Leuenberger (knee) back before finals.
FORM: At the start of the year many predicted Port Adelaide would be a top-four contender but after losing four of their past five games they'll be lucky to make the eight. The past two rounds in particular have shown the Power is a long way off the top sides. They were thrashed by the Western Bulldogs to the tune of 93 points in Darwin and were trailing by more than 10 goals against Geelong before pegging the margin back to 34 at Skilled Stadium. Brisbane has been the surprise packet of the season and is now gunning for a top-four finish having won three of their past four games. Significantly two of those victories have been secured away from the Gabba - an 18-point win over North at Etihad Stadium and a seven-goal triumph over Hawthorn down at Launceston. Last weekend's 55-point win over Melbourne was expected but still a confidence-boosting result.
WHO'S HOT: It's been a quiet couple of weeks for the Power but David Rodan's effort against the Cats was admirable - the stocky onballer willing to run and carry the ball against the opposition's more credentialed midfield. Brisbane's second-tier players are performing well but it's the Lions' experienced brigade which is leading their team up the premiership ladder. Luke Power and Simon Black were high possession winners against Melbourne while Jonathan Brown kicked five goals in a strong performance against the hapless Demons.
WE THINK: Port Adelaide's first home game in three weeks and the re-signing of coach Mark Williams should lift the spirits of the downtrodden Power but it's hard to say whether these factors will be enough to overcome a confident and more accomplished Brisbane outfit. In the past five weeks Port has managed a meagre average of 74 points and is struggling to stem the scoring at the other end, conceding 566 points at an average of 113. The Power's defence is performing admirably but it'll have its hands full again with Jonathan Brown and company enjoying good supply in recent weeks. The safe bet is Brisbane but this is a high-stakes game for the Power, who have won five out of six games at AAMI Stadium, ensuring this game should go down to the wire. Port Adelaide by 6 points.