Saturday’s first AFL Round 9 match is between Port Adelaide Power and Geelong Cats with the game to be played at AAMI Stadium in Adelaide. The opening bounce is set to commence at 1:15pm local time or 1:45pm AEST with away team Geelong Cats currently holding favouritism. View our AFL live scores, odds and results for the game between Port Adelaide Power and Geelong Cats.
WHERE AND WHEN: AAMI Stadium, Saturday 25th May, 1:15pm
[iframe_loader width=”690″ height=”530″ src=”https://sportsnews.com.au/afl/match.php?id=3130077″]
Preview:
Port Adelaide play Geelong on Saturday, 1.15PM at AAMI Stadium. The Cats might have lost their first game of the season last week to Collingwood, but are unlikely to make it two. Their narrow 6 point defeat last week would have made them more hungry if anything, and they will be out to prove themselves this week. The Power may have had a good start to 2013, but their form in the last few weeks has been lacking, with three losses in a row and some very uneven efforts against ordinary sides.
Teams:
Port Adelaide Power:
B: Cameron O’Shea, Alipate Carlile, Campbell Heath
HB: Brad Ebert, Thomas Jonas, Tom Logan
C: Kane Cornes, Travis Boak, Matthew Broadbent
HF: Andrew Moore, Justin Westhoff, Angus Monfries
F: Chad Wingard, Jay Schulz, Robbie Gray
Foll: Jarrad Redden, Hamish Hartlett, Oliver Wines
Int: Matt Thomas, Matthew Lobbe, Kane Mitchell, Sam Colquhoun
Emerg: Lewis Stevenson, Tom Clurey, Cameron Hitchcock
In: T.Logan, M.Thomas, C.Heath, S.Colquhoun
Out: D.Cassisi (hamstring), P.Stewart, L.Stevenson, J.Neade (rested)
Geelong Cats:
B: Andrew Mackie, Tom Lonergan, Corey Enright
HB: Cameron Guthrie, Harry Taylor, Jackson Thurlow
C: Mitch Duncan, Jimmy Bartel, Steven Motlop
HF: Mathew Stokes, Steve Johnson, George Burbury
F: Allen Christensen, Tom Hawkins, James Podsiadly
Foll: Trent West, Joel Selwood, Joel Corey
Int: Josh Hunt, Billie Smedts, Mark Blicavs, Josh Caddy
Emerg: Jordan Schroder, Shane Kersten, Mitch Brown
In: S.Johnson, G.Burbury
Out: J.Schroder, G.Horlin-Smith (soreness)
Port coach dares players to attack Cats
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has dared his players to stop their slump by bravely attacking Geelong on Saturday.
After winning their initial five games, the Power have lost three in a row heading into their home game against the Cats.
“We have got to be brave enough,” Hinkley told reporters on Thursday.
“We have got to make sure that we execute the skill.
“This game is getting harder to play. If you go too safe you’re going to get hemmed in and not get anywhere with the footy, we have got to be prepared to take the game on.”
Port will rest first-year forward Jake Neade for the AAMI Stadium match and lose ex-captain Dom Cassisi to a hamstring strain.
Cassisi’s forced absence weakens a defence already missing Jackson Trengove (foot) and Jasper Pittard (hip).
“We have been stretched in that area, we have had some injuries that we prefer we not have, but every club has them and it just gives opportunities to other people to come in,” Hinkley said.
The first-year Port coach said three consecutive defeats hadn’t harmed confidence of his young playing group.
“We haven’t been that far off,” he said of losses to Carlton (18 points), Richmond (41 points) and North Melbourne (10 points).
“But our form has slipped, there is no doubt about it.
“That is a bit to do with the opposition, it has got a bit to do with us. We have just got to make sure we control our bit as much as we possibly can and be ready for the opposition.
“It’s a really good test for us. We have played some good sides already and Geelong are another one of those good sides … they are going to provide us a different test.”