PORT BANKS ON ENERGISED PITTARD
PORT Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley’s hotly debated recall of free-agent defender Jasper Pittard — after just one SANFL game — is based on all that is not seen on a statistics sheet from a state league match.
Pittard’s return, from his second demotion to the SANFL this year, is prompted by his confidence being recharged by a break from the AFL last week — when the Power lost fourth spot with the 23-point defeat to Melbourne at the MCG. He is joined in the AFL line-up to play St Kilda at Adelaide Oval today by fellow defender Jack Hombsch, who played two SANFL games while being asked to improve his one-on-one defending.
“It’s not so much about what (Pittard and Hombsch) learned, they just needed to take away some of the pressure of the way they had performed (in the AFL),” Hinkley said at Adelaide Oval yesterday.
“Jasper has played two times in the SANFL. He clearly shows he is better than that level. We expect that from someone who has played as much football as he has.
“It is more a circuit-breaker. (Pittard and Hombsch) know they can play. They just needed to go away (from AFL), have a moment or two to think how important it is to play.”
Hinkley has made four changes — three unforced — with the recall of Pittard, Hombsch, midfielder-forward Aaron Young and midfielder Karl Amon. They replace injured all-Australian Chad Wingard (ankle), defenders Logan Austin and Dan Houston and novice midfielder Joe Atley.
“A couple of the boys we have brought back in are part of our best team when we get them in good form,” said Hinkley, with Hombsch and Pittard having been regulars in the Power’s best-performed defence in the club’s 21 AFL seasons. “The challenge for us now is to make sure Jack and Jasper come back into the side and play the role we know they are capable of. They make us a stronger team.
“Aaron (Young) is the same. His form in the AFL in the past 18 months has been really strong. Karl (Amon) is a big part of the future for us — and we think the team is certainly stronger on paper. But we need to put it out there on the ground.”