Port Adelaide interim coach Garry Hocking says some players are playing for their future at Alberton in the remaining weeks of the season.
Beyond the highly publicised future of star midfielder Travis Boak, Port Adelaide have several players out of contract at the end of the season.
Boak and key defender Troy Chaplin - who will undergo knee surgery this week and miss the final three matches - head a list that includes veteran forward Brett Ebert, Danyle Peace, maligned on-baller Steven Salopek and crafty utility Jacob Surjan.
Doubts also remain over the careers of former Richmond speedster David Rodan and premiership player Kane Cornes, the most experienced player on Port's list.
While the Power have expressed the desire to wrap up deals for Boak and Chaplin, the club have yet to assure any other of the aforementioned names a future at the club.
Hocking, who was appointed to the caretaker role last Monday following the sacking of Matthew Primus, said he would give every opportunity to those under pressure and once overlooked a chance to prove their worth.
Hocking pointed to the inclusion and change in role for Rodan, who has been on the outer of Primus' plans this season, as an example of one player given the chance to rediscover their best form.
"I'm a big supporter of all the players on the list and giving them all the opportunity over the next three games to try and get back into form and playing well so that the next coach that comes in has a healthy list," Hocking said.
"There are a few people that are uncontracted but certainly (Port Adelaide football operations manager) Peter Rhode is across all that.
"We are just concerned with wanting to give our players an opportunity.
"We are a bit challenged for the depth so it's an opportunity to try and push some new people into some different roles."
With contracts set to continue as a hot topic in the remaining days of Hocking's four-week tenure, the 43-year-old was hopeful Boak and Chaplin would accept new deals soon.
Hocking had no further developments to add regarding Boak, although he suggested the 24-year-old's recent 'actions and attitude' were a sign he was 'excited to stay' at Alberton.
The former Geelong Falcons coach was able to give some assurances over Chaplin however whose season will be cut short to fix a troublesome knee that has plagued the 26-year-old this year.
"I think it's a great sign (Chaplin wants to stay) that he is coming to training to work with the other players and younger defenders," Hocking said.
"Right across the year he's showed he has got great leadership values and even now he's not going to put the cue in the rack just because he's having surgery.
"He wants to spend time with the playing group and will with (defensive coach) Brad Gotch to look at how we can get better defensively.
"Troy's done that right across the year but he's certainly going to ramp it up over the next three or four weeks."
2 Comments
I agree the AFL expanded too fast! All they could see was the big $$$$$ for the TV rights. The trouble is many good coaches with these clubs on their resume risk rejection by other cttees later - as they get dumped after the "purse and pigs ear" syndrome.
ReplySince the two #$%$ teams entered the arena there has been a shortage of good players for all the teams..... melbourne and port and even western bulldogs are just the starters....... The two new teams have a long way to go before they are a side to contend with..... Yes i know we have to start somewhere... But the shortage will go on for a few years yet.... And the cost to the above teams with be enormous (in failure) the afl needs to recognise the fact before we see so many more good coaches get the axe just because of the afl going too fast....
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