Skipper returns for Darwin clash


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See the full line-ups for both sides here

PROMISING young defender Jasper Pittard will make his comeback to AFL this weekend after being selected in Port Adelaide’s team to play Melbourne in Saturday night’s clash at TIO Stadium in Darwin.

Power captain Dom Cassisi also returns after missing three games with a hip injury.

Ruckman Jarrad Redden and utlity Darren Pfeiffer have been omitted from the side that lost to Essendon at AAMI Stadium last Saturday.

21-year-old Pittard played 13 games in his debut season last year, earning a NAB Rising Star nomination for his effort in the Power’s Round 4 victory over Adelaide.

Saturday’s clash with the Demons will be his first at AFL level since Round 20 last year, but he has fully recovered from a frustrating run of soft tissue injuries.



Coach Matthew Primus expects the returning Cassisi to provide a boost in contested football possession through the midfield and defence.

“He’s super with his contested footy,” Primus said.

“He obviously gives us some good leadership out there and the conditions we’ll get on Saturday night with the ball on the ground a bit, it’ll be head over the ball, and Dom’s very good at doing that.”

Port Adelaide arrived in Darwin on Thursday, bringing three emergencies in Pfeiffer, David Rodan -who needs to prove his fitness having suffered a hamstring strain against Geelong - and ruckman Brent Renouf who is recovering from knee soreness.

Selectors are trusting Matthew Lobbe to solely carry the ruck duties, with support from Jackson Trengove in the backlines and Justin Westhoff up forward.

Primus said the team must strive to achieve four quarters of high-standard football, following disappointing fadeouts against Essendon and Adelaide in the past fortnight.

“We’re very focused on that and trying to play a really good, consistent brand of footy over four quarters and Melbourne are working towards that too so it should be a terrific fight,” Primus said.

“We’ve definitely come up here for a win. We need one and we’re in search of one. We’ve been playing good football for periods, but not for long enough and that’s probably similar to Melbourne.”

Port Adelaide’s Round 17 clash against Melbourne gets underway at 7.10pm on Saturday night.