Power’s verdict on hamstrung defender
Charlie Dixon and Ryan Burton will be available to face Sydney on Friday night but Port Adelaide will remain without important defender Kane Farrell.
Farrell had been mounting a bold comeback bid from a hamstring injury which had initially been assessed as a season-ending injury, but the left-footer’s prospects of a preliminary final return were put to bed on Tuesday.
The Power said the left-footer was one to two weeks away from a return, meaning he would get another chance to press his claims should they progress to a grand final.
Port Adelaide vice-captain Zak Butters said Burton (calf) and Dixon (illness) had both put their “best foot forward” at Alberton on Tuesday and were ready to return if picked to face the Swans.
“They probably just narrowly missed out last week with a few little things, but so far, so good for them,” Butters said.
Sydney will be without captain Callum Mills due to a hamstring injury, but had no other injury concerns following a week of training since their qualifying final victory over GWS.
Brisbane again moved to allay fears over star midfielder Lachie Neale’s foot injury as the club confirmed he would face Geelong on Saturday at the MCG.
Lions fitness boss Damien Austin said Neale wearing a moon boot following the win over the Giants was not an unusual sight for a player expected to back it up the next week.
“Lachie is right to play against Geelong on Saturday. He has some heel soreness which we have been managing with him for several weeks now and during that time he has still played some exceptional footy,” Austin said.
“As part of his management plan we have had him wear a moon boot on several occasions, especially after games.
“Wearing the moon boot is the best possible recovery for a foot or ankle injury as it aids and speeds up the healing process by decreasing the load on the foot.”
Lions utility Bruce Reville strained his hamstring in the final quarter of the VFL preliminary final on Saturday and was ruled out of the Cats clash, but he was expected to be available for Grand Final selection if the Lions advanced.
Geelong was expected to regain vice-captain Tom Stewart from a hamstring injury, with their only unavailable senior players set to be Mark O’Connor (wrist) and Gary Rohan (fractured skull).
Rohan trained on Monday and was yet to be ruled out of a possible Grand Final return if the Cats beat the Lions.
