Port Adelaide games record holder Kane Cornes has a feeling that tonight’s clash with Melbourne is a serious danger game for the top-of-the-table Power.
The Demons have found some good form in the last three weeks and pushed Brisbane right to the end last weekend.
Cornes is worried in particular about the midfield matchups and admits he is tipping the Dees.
“I actually tipped Melbourne … I don’t know, it just has that feel about it. I think Melbourne is in good form and they’re going to test Port Adelaide with a number of their weapons,” he told SEN SA Breakfast.
“That’s the way I see it, I’m concerned about their midfield. The way Max Gawn will test Peter Ladhams (in the ruck).
“It’ll be slippery conditions at the Gabba, it’ll be in tight, it’ll be suited to the big midfield bulls Melbourne has and Max Gawn’s dominance.
“I just think with the conditions up at the Gabba tonight and the form Melbourne is in they win tonight.
“Just going through Port Adelaide’s line-up, they have four or five players and significant players who are out of form.
“Connor Rozee, Robbie Gray, Ollie Wines, Travis Boak’s been down the last couple of weeks, Justin Westhoff has been down, they’re all out of form. If they continue to go through the motions, it’s a danger game tonight for Port.”
Cornes would like to see Wines used in a defensive role on in-form midfielder Christian Petracca.
“Speaking of taggers, why not give Ollie Wines a massive task tonight and say ‘look, you’re perfectly suited to Christian Petracca, when he’s in the midfield he’s yours’,” he said.
“Put your big body on him and make life really difficult for him. It’s hard not to argue Petracca is the hottest player in the game right now with Toby Greene.
“Wines is out of form, give him a big task tonight that could go a long way to winning the game for Port.”
The former All-Australian isn’t sure about Tom Rockliff being recalled to the side and wonders whether they can balance the former Brisbane captain and Wines in the same midfield.
“Maybe Ken is bringing him in to play that role (tag Petracca) and maybe he’s the Petracca matchup,” he said.
“Does he have the speed though would be my issue with Tom and he hasn’t shown he can play forward in his time at Port Adelaide so it’s midfield or nothing for Wines and Rockliff.”
Melbourne has brought in Tom McDonald and Tom Sparrow for the game, with Neville Jetta and Harley Bennell going out.
Port Adelaide has lost Todd Marshall to injury and left out Riley Bonner in favour of Rockliff and Jarrod Lienert.