Port Adelaide stars face race to be fit for GWS semi-final

Port Adelaide is sweating over the services of Trent McKenzie and Dylan Williams ahead of their AFL semi-final on Saturday night.

The Power, desperate to rebound from their disappointing loss to Brisbane, have been installed a $1.58 favourite by AFL betting sites to defeat the Giants ($2.35) at the Adelaide Oval.

The Giants however will enter the clash full of confidence after outclassing St Kilda in their elimination final at the MCG.

Port Adelaide will have plenty of soul searching to do after the Lions’ loss, with the key injuries compounded by coach Ken Hinkley’s decision to sub Darcy Byrne-Jones on tactical grounds for veteran Travis Boak.

Soon after McKenzie (ankle) and Williams (hamstring) were forced from the field, and despite the former attempting to play on with a “badly rolled ankle”, both were unable to complete the game.

Brisbane’s robust offensive front, spearheaded by Joe Daniher’s five goals and Cam Rayner’s three, exacerbated Port’s defensive vulnerabilities. By the end of the match, Port Adelaide faced a crushing 48-point loss.

Following the match, a concerned Hinkley said McKenzie would be given every opportunity to face the Giants next weekend.

“You’ll see him on crutches … you shouldn’t panic about that. He’ll need every minute of next week to be available, and that’s the reality,” Hinkley said.

However, Hinkley’s concern for Williams seemed even graver, indicating a potential hamstring scan before any further steps.

The Power won’t be able to call up skipper Tom Jonas as a replacement, with the veteran, who has been in and out of the team all year, sidelined for two to three weeks with a calf complaint.

Despite the mounting challenges, a determined Hinkley remains hopeful, and backed in the character of his team, which struggled in the tail-end of the home and away season.

“We’ll have to make do with what we have available. I’m optimistic that it’s still strong enough. It’s not a problem,” he said.

Hinkley recalls the recent triumphant encounter with GWS at Adelaide Oval, drawing strength from their impressive win.

However, he didn’t mince words when discussing the game against Brisbane, citing the initial missed goals, particularly by the usually consistent Todd Marshall. “They were just better,” Hinkley said.

The winner of the Power vs Giants clash will play Collingwood, who qualified for the preliminary final with a win over Melbourne on Thursday night.

Brisbane will play the winner of the Melbourne vs Carlton clash due to be played at the MCG on Friday night.

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