SANFL coaches, from left, Brad Gotch (South Adelaide), Seamus Maloney (Sturt), Ben Warren (Norwood) and Garry Hocking (Port Adelaide). Picture: Sam Wundke. Source: News Limited
MAGPIES coach Garry Hocking says Port Adelaide is yet to decide how many players will be held back from its SANFL semi finals clash against Norwood to be available as emergencies should the Power require them the following day.
The SANFL held a finals media session on Tuesday and much of the interest surrounded who the Magpies squad would feature when they entered the major round on Saturday evening.
Port's remarkably small injury list means the Magpies would field a season-high 19 AFL-listed players for the clash if it chose not to hold any emergencies for the following day.
But the events on the Gold Coast three weeks ago — where the Power called in not one but two late emergencies — the club may be cautious.
Port could even hold back three emergencies for Richmond, meaning the Magpies AFL-listed contingent would be reduced to 16.
Hocking said no decision had been made.
"It's only speculation at this point in time,'' he said.
"We've got a (small) injury list which means we've got a really good list to select from for the Magpies and we'll pick a really strong 21."
Cameron O'Shea, Kane Mitchell and Ben Newton were Port's three emergencies last weekend and their presence, or non presence, for the Magpies could have a massive baring on Saturday night's result.
Redlegs coach Ben Warren said his side was eager to get another crack at Port after narrowly losing at Alberton three weeks ago and would focus on tidying up its forward entries.
"The supporters and the club are pretty excited to be playing Port Adelaide at 5:40pm on Saturday in a final at Adelaide Oval,'' Warren said.
"Our forward entries weren't as good as they could have been last time we played them and we've done some work on that."
Sturt coach Seamus Maloney and South counterpart Brad Gotch both agreed the knockout first semi final from 2:40pm was likely to be won in the midfield.
Magarey medallist Zane Kirkwood and Richard Tambling will go head-to-head with the Panther's deep onball unit, which includes Joel Cross, Nick Liddle and Brent Macleod.
South beat the Double Blues a fortnight ago.
"(Ruckmen Angus) Kurtze and (Keegan) Brooksby have had two really good battles this year … and at ground level it's been really evenly fought,'' Gotch said.
"We feel like we've got a little bit more depth in there so that's where we might be able to get them."
Maloney praised the effort of his midfield in last week's loss to Norwood and said his forward line needed to step up.
"We need to play with a bit more dare to give our forwards space but its also about our forwards winning their positions,'' Maloney said.
"We didn't have a clear winner up forward (against Norwood)."
