Port Adelaide shake off sickness ahead of Dees clash
Port Adelaide are confident they have shaken off a flu that hit players and coach Ken Hinkley in time to fire in their crunch clash with Melbourne.
Hinkley was isolated from the rest of his coaching staff early in the week but has recovered.
Port ruled veteran Travis Boak out of Sunday's match at Adelaide Oval with illness but key defender Aliir Aliir, who was also sick, has been cleared to play.
"I only missed out of precaution," Hinkley said.
"We learned some good stuff out of COVID. We learned that when there's illness around you, you isolate, and it actually helps protect other people.
"There's been two or three (players) that have been, again, a bit similar to myself. We've been cautious with people and not allowing them to get other people unwell if we can avoid that.
"At this stage, everyone that's available that's been picked will certainly take the field tomorrow."
The Power have regained Jason Horne-Francis from a hamstring injury while Melbourne's Jack Viney returns from concussion.
Mid-season recruit Mani Liddy - a former air conditioning mechanic who wears a distinctive leg sleeve to protect scarring from a nasty injury last year - will debut.
Jordon Sweet has been recalled to team up with Dante Visentini against brilliant Melbourne ruckman Max Gawn.
"We are coming up against the best ruck in the competition for the past 10 years," Hinkley said of Gawn.
"We accept it is a big challenge for our rucks. Our forwards have not been able to do enough or as much as they need to do.
"So when you come up against the quality of Max Gawn we acknowledge that and we put another ruck in and see whether that can help us and get another different-looking target in the forward line at times.
"We certainly won't concede to Max, but we know that to limit him is going to be influential in the outcome of the game."
Hinkley is refusing to buy into the importance of the clash, the first of three consecutive home games.
Port (5-7) host Melbourne, Sydney and Carlton in coming weeks.
"Don't take anything for granted," Hinkley said.
"This game smacked me in the face enough to know that any time you try and take anything that looks maybe a little bit more positive than the other (it will hurt you).
"Going to Canberra last week, playing in Saturday night, cold conditions ... it wasn't a great outlook, but we went there and won.
"And that's what we've got to do tomorrow. We've got to turn up tomorrow at Adelaide Oval with our fans here and make sure we win."
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