Hartlett injury a big blow for Port

HAMISH Hartlett would have been top three in Port Adelaide’s best and fairest when he suffered a season-ending knee injury at training on Thursday.

Power coach Ken Hinkley yesterday confirmed Hartlett would have surgery within 24 hours to repair a damaged anterior cruciate ligament that may sideline him for up to 12 months.

It is a cruel blow to Hartlett and the team given his blistering start to the season and long battle with injuries.

“He’ll have surgery sometime in the next 24 hours to repair an ACL damaged ligament and will start the long haul to get back to play some absolutely great football, which he was playing at the start of this year,” Hinkley said.

“Hamish’s form, he would have been in our best three players this year, and it’s obviously a bit of a blow but when it’s someone who’s worked so hard to get himself re-established as the player he wants to be it’s even more difficult.”

Hartlett and Lindsay Thomas, who was banned for four games for separate incidents in last week’s loss to Geelong, have been replaced by Dom Barry and Aidyn Johnson for today’s game against North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium.

“We’re OK, we’re lucky in some sense that we have some half-backs ready to play, even Jasper [Pittard] is ready to go now and is a like for like replacement the week after,” Hinkley said.

“If there’s an area of the ground where we have got some numbers in support it’s that area, but you do miss a leadership player and that’s important for us to remember.”

Sturt premiership player Jarrod Leinert is also pressing his claims for an AFL debut while Matthew Broadbent is set to resume running on the oval in the next week as he recovers from a long-term ankle injury.

It’s hoped that Broadbent will be pushing to return to action in the next 5-6 weeks.

The third-placed Kangaroos will be a major challenge for the Power this afternoon having won three of their past four games including toppling the Hawks last weekend.

“They’re in fantastic form, they’re third on the ladder and are playing some really good football other than the game in northern Queensland that was played in water,” Hinkley said.