With the SANFL grand final returning to Adelaide Oval on Sunday after an absence of more than 40 years, traditional rivals Norwood and Port Adelaide have both taken chances at the selection table.

Norwood

Norwood has included triple Magarey Medallist James Allan in its 23-man squad.

Allan, who hasn’t played league football since dislocating his wrist against North in Round 15, has gained match fitness while playing the past two matches in the Reserves.

The star midfielder, who collected 27 disposals and a goal in the Reserves Preliminary Final last Sunday, has been joined on the five-man extended interchange bench by on-baller Steven Baldasso.

Baldasso, who also put in an encouraging display for the Redlegs’ seconds last Sunday, has recovered from a minor ankle injury.

‘’I’m glad I don’t have to make those kind of calls (at selection),’’ Norwood captain Kieran McGuinness said.

‘’If I was the coach there would be 26 or 27 guys playing on Sunday. Stevie (Baldasso) has had a fantastic year, he has really improved as a footballer and also as a person as he’s a terrific young lad.

‘’And we all know that Jimmy (Allan) is absolute quality. I don’t know which way they are going to go so I will leave that to the selectors.’’

Should Allan and Baldasso be included, the other players named on the extended interchange – Peter Persinos, Gavin Hughes and Kane Murphy – are the most likely to make way.

Unheralded defender Andrew Kirwan could claim his third premiership medal in just his 50th match at league level on Sunday.

F: Dawe, Newton, Donohue
HF: Smart, Davis, Phillips
C: Wilson, Panos, Jefferies
HB: Roocke, Chippendale, Kirwan
B: Bode, McGuinness, Forster

R: Baulderstone, Webber, Bartlett
INT: Murphy, Hughes, Allan, Persinos, Baldasso
IN: Allan, Baldasso

Port

Port Adelaide key forward John Butcher is poised to play his first league match since August 23 in Sunday’s SANFL Grand Final against Norwood at Adelaide Oval.

Butcher, who has not played in this finals series due to a back ailment, trained strongly last night, suggesting he will take his place in the selected side.

‘’He moved well last night at training,’’ Port football manager Scott Peters said.

‘’We train again tomorrow night so we will see how he goes again but at the moment he is definitely playing. He was pretty close to playing last week but he’s had another week of training so as long as he pulls up OK he will be in.’’

Former Essendon veteran Henry Slattery has been named on a five-man extended interchange bench after overcoming the shoulder injury which kept him out of Sunday’s Preliminary Final win against South Adelaide.

‘’His shoulder was a bit sore but he trained strongly so he is putting pressure on at selection which is good,’’ Peters said.

Ruckman Angus Bruggemann, who received a ‘’stinger’’ to his shoulder against the Panthers, is expected to be passed fit to play.

‘’He’s improving every day – he actually trained last night,’’ Peters said of the man from Mallala.

‘’We didn’t think he was going to, we thought we would look at him late in the week. He’s been a great story for us as he has played every game for us so he’s raring to go.’’

Port coach Garry Hocking was unable to find any room for speedster Robbie Young despite him recovering from a finger injury while Anthony Biemans and Jake Johansen were also unlucky to be overlooked at selection.

F: J. Butcher, Harvey, Ah Chee
HF: Flynn, A. Young, Byrne-Jones
C: Stewart, Summerton, Hitchcock
HB: Amon, Stevenson, Heath
B: Russell, Clurey, Krakouer

R: Shaw, Gray, Logan
INT: Newton, Impey, Mitchell, Bruggemann, Slattery
IN: J. Butcher, Slattery

The game starts at 2.40pm.

The video at the top of the page has colour highlights of the last grand final at Adelaide Oval – between Glenelg and North Adelaide – in 1973.