Reputations not enough at Port

Depth ... Hinkley says even former skipper must earn his spot. Source: Sarah Reed / News Limited

Former Port Adelaide captain Dom Cassisi is likely to be forced to continue his comeback in the SANFL, with coach Ken Hinkley declaring spots in his rejuvenated team are hard to get.

Praising the efforts of all 22 who played in the club's 79- point round one win against Melbourne, Hinkley said any player out of the side would have to earn a position - not get it on reputation.

"And that's what you want, that's exactly what you want," he said. "You want players to earn their spots in the team and the boys who played (against Melbourne) have done everything they possibly could to earn their spots back in the side.

"But if we slip we've got people who are ready to come in and play.

"We know the quality of those players who are out of our team and they are out of our team at the moment mainly because they've had some injury issues."

Cassisi, replaced as captain this year by Travis Boak, and exciting forwards Robbie Gray and John Butcher all made it through the opening round of the SANFL after returning from long-term injuries in SANFL trial games.

Cassisi is on the comeback trail from a calf injury, Gray from a knee reconstruction and Butcher from hip surgery. In other years, they would already have been deemed to have done enough to be rushed back into the Power team. But new coach Hinkley insists he will not risk any player who is not 100 per cent fit and match hardened. That's why he left full back Alipate Carlile (mild hamstring soreness) out of his round one line-up.

Provided he gets through training during the week, Carlile has the best chance of the quartet to return to the team for Saturday night's home opener against Greater Western Sydney.

"You see it too often when players come in when they are not quite right," Hinkley said.

"I always say you are never one player away (from being a good side and winning a game). Bobby didn't play (against the Demons), our full back, and there was a bit made of him not playing.

"But I told our boys we weren't one player away, we are a team, and as long as we play as a team we'll be okay.

"So they'll (the long-term injured players) just keep being solid with their preparation and rehab and then get themselves back in.

"The thing it does is, it allows us to bring them in at the right time and make sure they are in the best possible condition when they return."

Hinkley subbed three-goal forward Angus Monfries out of the Melbourne game at three-quarter time because he had endured an injury-interrupted pre-season.

"I had a bit of a fight with Angus to get him off the ground but we made a decision to make sure he's in as great a shape as he can be for the rest of the season," Hinkley said.

The only Port regular ruled out of the Giants clash is forward Brett Ebert, who will miss another week or two with an adductor injury.

Hinkley praised new fitness coach Darren Burgess for getting his players "nice and fit", noting how injury-plagued Hamish Hartlett and Jasper Pittard had starred against Melbourne following strong pre-seasons.

View the original article here