Olympian attention to detail rewarded with milestone
THE potential for a trio of star inclusions at Port Adelaide this week and the locked-in location for Friday’s clash with Collingwood will allow for an “Olympic level” preparation for Travis Boak’s 300th game.
Having jumped back in to the top four with a road-trip win over St Kilda, Port’s build to finals should be bolstered by the return of Conor Rozee, Zac
Butters and Xavier Duursma. The knee injury Butters sustained in his Round 17 comeback is not as severe as first thought and Rozee, who missed with knee soreness, should also return.
And Port assistant coach Nathan Bassett said he would be “surprised” if Duursma, who hasn’t played in the AFL since Round 4 due to a knee injury, wasn’t back after two weeks in the SANFL. “Rozee, Butters and Duursma would not be bad ‘ins’ this week, would they?” Bassett said.
“Duursma was very good in the SANFL, so I would be surprised if ‘X’ did not play. He is a hard worker; he asks plenty of questions because he wants to be the best he can.
“Connor certainly feels a lot better after having the week off. Zak’s injury was not as significant as we first thought. He would be a chance to play.”
Covid complications forced the AFL to shift the time of Friday’s clash with Collingwood at Adelaide Oval. Avoiding the need to move to Saturday afternoon, the match was brought forward to a 6.40pm local time to allow the Magpies fly in and out on game day.
Bassett said they wouldn’t let the move impact their preparations for the game, when Boak will become the second Port player to reach 300 games. “Travis means so much to the footy club,” he said.
“His commitment to be the best that he can be in the way he trains . . . we are going to be watching the Olympics later this week and Travis is one of those athletes who prepares like he is preparing for the Olympics each week.
“He has a dedication that separates him from nearly everyone else. The guys are pumped for his 300th.”