16/05/2008 5:43 PM
Port Adelaide insists it won't be 'Buddy' Franklin focused and believes it can cause its own attacking headaches when it plays Hawthorn at Aurora Stadium in Tasmania on Saturday.
Power coach Mark Williams said his side was 'pretty excited' about tackling the undefeated Hawks but brushed aside questions from the media about his strategies to contain Franklin.
"You're the only ones that focus on him, we're not," he said.
"The fact is, we know he is a brilliant player but as you say there's a lot of brilliant players there (in Hawthorn's team)."
"We'd like to think we can win the ball and get it up our end and they can worry about (Daniel) Motlop and (Brett) Ebert and (Warren) Tredrea and whoever else we've got up there."
Williams was full of praise for Franklin but did admit there was a deficiency to his game.
"He's a pretty good player for a 21-year-old, you can imagine how good he's going to be in a few years time," he said.
"He does what he does with his goal kicking; he's a little conscious about his accuracy so we'll see how he goes."
He also said Michael Pettigrew would be his team's best defender to take on Franklin because he's got the leg speed.
Hawthorn will enter the Round 8 clash favourites and Williams said the players would understandably be feeling good about themselves.
But Port has a strong record against Hawthorn - having won eight of their last nine encounters - including a last-gasp victory in 2007.
Williams said his team would have to play a lot better this time around to keep their winning run going.
"We've been very successful in playing Hawthorn and certainly down at Launceston, we really like the surroundings down there," he said.
"We understand they play basically zone-off footy in their backline and we understand what they do but a lot of teams have been looking at it and trying to beat it and obviously try something as well."
The Power look set to take an unchanged line-up into this clash which means veteran Michael Wilson will start his comeback with the Magpies in the SANFL.
"On Wednesday, 'Wilbur' actually fell on his knee and hurt it a little, so we were a little concerned about that," Williams said.
"We thought, 'well, what's the point?' We'll make sure he's alright for next week."