This story originally appeared on afl.com.au

ROBBIE Gray had better get used to close-checking opponents pushing the legal limits, warns coach Ken Hinkley.

Geelong defender Jed Bews was all over the Port Adelaide star throughout the Cats' two-point win at Simonds Stadium in round 10, but Gray still managed three goals from 15 disposals.  

Hinkley said the Power's three-time best and fairest would receive similar treatment from Hawthorn in Thursday night's clash at Adelaide Oval.

"I think he expects it. That's what the good players do; they expect the attention to be pretty close and strong," Hinkley said.

"I think the key thing for Robbie is he seems to be playing on bigger opponents more often than not.

"That's one of the challenges for him, he's in a contest with bigger-bodied players and they can restrict him a bit more than they perhaps should, legally.

"It can always look like it's not quite right, but normally the umpiring works out pretty reasonable by the end of the night.

"I'm sure Robbie would like another one or two free kicks."

The Power will field an unchanged side, with midfielder Karl Amon given the all-clear after picking up a knock to his knee against the Cats.

Amon left the ground during training on Wednesday, but returned to finish the session.

"He wasn't out there all the time, but he's OK," Hinkley said of Amon.

"He got a whack on the knee in last week's game.

"It's not unusual that six days away from last week's game there's still a bruise or two."

Experienced forward Angus Monfries will be named as an emergency alongside Jimmy Toumpas and Jesse Palmer.

Monfries, 30, missed the 2016 season through a 12-month anti-doping suspension handed down as part of the 2012 Essendon supplements saga.

Shoulder and hamstring injuries interrupted his comeback, but the 210-game veteran has returned to strong form in the SANFL in the past few weeks.

"Gus has had 12 months out, he's also had a significant injury-interrupted pre-season," Hinkley said.

"He's now back in some shape and form that suggests he's nearly ready to play.

"It was a pretty strong, tough game of football last week where we lost in the last minute of the game against a high-quality opponent.

"The boys did a pretty good job and we were unhappy we lost."

Hinkley said the criticism directed towards key forward Charlie Dixon after his costly mistake last week had been unfair.

Dixon is having career-highs this season in disposals (13.9 per game), tackles (3.7) and marks (6.3, up from 3.9 last year), and is second in the competition for contested marks with 24 from nine games.

"I'm seeing Charlie Dixon play the best football I've seen him play," Hinkley said.

"I've seen him play three years at the Gold Coast and I've seen him play a year and a half at Port Adelaide.

"He's fit, he's consistent, he's playing his role in the team and he's getting the reward, and the team is getting the reward."

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