Hamish Hartlett won’t play in Port Adelaide’s Round 1 clash with North Melbourne, opening the door for a former high pick to debut.
Port Adelaide vice-captain Hamish Hartlett says Miles Bergman is a “very strong chance” to debut, after he ruled himself out of the Power’s season opener against North Melbourne.
The Power have until Saturday evening to name their side for the Sunday clash but Hartlett said he would not be playing against the Kangaroos following a battle with a “minor niggle” with his hamstring.
“This has meant I haven’t been able to train too much,” he said on FIVEaa.
“I’m going to give this week a miss on the back of that.”
This looks set to open up the door for Bergman, the club’s top pick in the 2019 Draft, to make his AFL debut.
“It certainly does,” Hartlett said.
“There is a very strong chance to see Miles I think in the backline crew which is super-exciting.
“He has some real excitement about his game.”
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Miles Bergman is firming for a Round 1 debut for the Power. Picture: Brenton Edwards
Bergman was on the stronger black side during Port’s Thursday training session, in a potential early selection hint from Ken Hinkley.
Highly-rated youngster Lachie Jones was in the white group, along with Hartlett, veteran midfielder Tom Rockliff and surprisingly Xavier Duursma.
Drafted with the 14th pick in 2019, Bergman came to the Power from the Sandringham Dragons as a medium midfielder/forward.
An ankle injury on the eve of the 2020 pre-season matches meant Bergman did not get an early chance to join the youth-led revolution at the Power.
And when he did recover from this knock, the Power said they wanted him to become a defender and able to play on the wing with Bergman studying footage of his new role during the COVID-19 shutdown period.
No SANFL games for the Power-listed players meant Bergman couldn’t press his case at lower level, but he was named as an emergency on several occasions for Port in 2020.
In this pre-season Bergman has impressed in Port Adelaide’s new plan of players having multiple positions they can play in – taking part in the Power’s two matches against the Crows.
Development coach Tyson Goldsack told The Advertiser fans would love the look of Bergman when he runs out for the Power.
“He has some unbelievable physical attributes. You look at him run and it is like watching a thoroughbred racehorse if you will,” he said.
“He’s a great kick and good in the air but there’s just a couple of things that he has to sharpen up whether it is cleanliness at ground ball, buffering pressure and just learning the way that we want to play.”
BIG HINT POWER YOUNGSTER COULD DEBUT AGAINST ROOS
Port Adelaide still has days to name its Round 1 side, but the Power might have given a big hint as to who they will choose to take on North Melbourne.
The Power’s side for Sunday’s match will be named on Saturday night, as part of the AFL’s protocols for the 2021 season, but at training at Alberton on Thursday Ken Hinkley looked to have given some insight as to who he is set to pick to take on the Kangaroos.
After a warm-up only missing Connor Rozee (foot) and
Sam Powell-Pepper (personal leave), the near-full strength squad was split up into two groups – black and white jumpers.
Miles Bergman could make his AFL debut for Port Adelaide in Round 1. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Dean Martin
Featuring on the black side, alongside stars Travis Boak, Charlie Dixon, Ollie Wines and captain Tom Jonas, was
2019 first round draftee Miles Bergman, young midfielder Willem Drew and Riley Bonner – who has impressed in a new role on the wing during pre-season.
Young forward/wingman Kane Farrell was also in the black jumper side.
In the white side was Hamish Hartlett and Trent McKenzie, both of who missed out on the big Community Series win through minor knocks, 2020 draftee Lachie Jones, veteran midfielder Tom Rockliff and interestingly young gun Xavier Duursma.
Ruckman Peter Ladhams was also on the white team, but that could be just for balance, as was young exciting forward Mitch Georgiades.