Port Adelaide’s Sam Powell-Pepper suspended for four matches

PREMIERSHIP fancy Port Adelaide has suffered an early-season blow with Sam Powell-Pepper suspended for four matches for a hit on Adelaide’s Mark Keane.

The Power hard man is among their most influential players and his loss for clashes against West Coast, Richmond, Melbourne and Essendon hurts their chances of early season wins.

Compounding the suspension, is that the Power have a bye in round zero, so Powell-Pepper will effectively miss five weeks to start the season.

Powell-Pepper was charged with rough conduct during the Power’s match simulation with the Crows on Friday night, with Irishman Keane now in a race against time to be fit for his team’s round 1 clash on March 16.

The Power have drifted out to $13 to win the premiership with bookmakers, despite winning 17 games and finishing third after the home and away season last year.

They will be desperate to avenge their straight sets exit from the finals series and have recruited in a bid to plug their leaky backline, with Geelong big man Esava Ratugolea and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher both traded in.

The Power start their AFL 2024 campaign with a clash against reigning wooden spoon holder West Coast. They are priced at $1.08 to defeat the Eagles ($7.25), who are expected to again struggle, despite receiving Harley Reid, the no.1 draft pick.

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