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“We can beat Nic Nat”: Hinkley

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley concedes his makeshift ruck strategy will be sorely tested against one of the most imposing and agile talls in the competition on Saturday – West Coast’s Nic Naitanui – but he remains bullish that remade defender Jackson Trengove can “cause him some concerns”.

May 20, 2016, updated May 20, 2016
Jackson Trengove (right) Photo: Tracey Nearmy, AAP.

Jackson Trengove (right) Photo: Tracey Nearmy, AAP.

The Eagles ruckman – abetted by fellow big man Scott Lycett – is averaging more than 34 hitouts this season, while Trengove has averaged 15 per game in the fortnight since he was called on to shoulder his side’s tapwork, with regular rucks Paddy Ryder and Matthew Lobbe sidelined through suspension and injury.

But Hinkley says he will go into the Adelaide Oval game with the plan unchanged – not that he has many other options.

Port have managed to win their share of clearances despite being blanketed in hitouts, and Hinkley maintains “the plan won’t be that dissimilar to the last couple of weeks for Jacko [Trengove]”.

“The hitouts have gone against us quite significantly in both weeks, but we’ve at least been able to break even and win stoppages,” he told media today.

“So the plan is all around the collective, not around the individual.

“Jacko’s got to do his best [and] Jacko will cause ‘Nic Nat’ and Lycett some concerns in the ruck, there’s no doubt about that… but, yes, they are more experienced ruckmen and they’re used to playing there more than Jacko.”

Brodie Grundy of Collingwood and Nic Naitanui of the West Coast Eagles during the round 6 AFL match between the West Coast Eagles and the Collingwood Magpies at Domain Stadium in Perth, Sunday, May 1, 2016. (AAP Image/Tony McDonough) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLYNLY

Nic Naitanui beats Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy to the ball. Photo: Tony McDonough, AAP.

Hinkley said Trengove’s strength had been to “follow up at ground level” having lost the taps, but conceded Naitanui’s groundwork was also “really strong”.

“[Trengove] will have a real crack at it – that’s what he’s got to,” he said.

“Jacko’s got to be really combative [but] that’s how he plays his footy… Nic Naitanui is a talented ruckman but he can be beaten and we go into the game expecting to beat him.”

He said there would be a team focus on curbing the influence of not just Naitanui, but also the Eagles’ brace of firing forwards, including spearhead Josh Kennedy, who is expected to play despite remaining in Perth awaiting the birth of his child.

“We’re not going into this game where everyone in the room feels like we can’t get our hands on the ball,” said Hinkley.

“We’ll be ok – there’ll be a contest… we’re confident if we can bring our best football we can cause them some concerns.”

While the Power welcomes back Robbie Gray to the midfield, Hinkley said key defender Alipate Carlile had been “not close at all” to selection this week as he returned from a broken wrist.

“I had a conversation with him on Monday and he was the first to say ‘look I just need a couple of weeks to make sure I get my touch’,” he said.

“He’s not totally confident in his wrist… ‘Bobby’s’ really honest, he knows where he’s at.

“He’s a senior player and he’s played a lot of football and he’s our fullback [so] we’d like him in the side.”

Hinkley maintained despite Port’s burgeoning injury list this season, “we’ve got enough defenders who can actually defend against a good opposition”.

And it is West Coast themselves that he points to for inspiration, noting their Grand Final appearance last season despite losing key backs Eric Mackenzie and Mitch Brown to injury before a ball was bounced.

“West Coast did it last year for the whole year… you manage what you’ve got and what you’ve got to play with, and you get the best results [you can] from that.”

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