No Butters, Rozee or JHF: The contenders to step into Port's midfield

PORT Adelaide will be without all three of its star playmakers for the first time in four seasons when it takes on ladder leader Fremantle on Saturday in an availability crisis that could open the door for former Docker Will Brodie.

The Power midfield has been decimated by injuries and suspensions, with star midfielder Jason Horne-Francis joining Zak Butters (ankle) and Connor Rozee (hamstring) on the sidelines on Monday when the club confirmed he would accept a one-game suspension for rough conduct.

It means the Power will line up without all three of their midfield stars for the first time since Horne-Francis crossed from North Melbourne ahead of the 2023 season, with gun forward Mitch Georgiades absent as well through concussion.

The timing could hardly be worse as a rampaging Fremantle team travels to Adelaide Oval for its first clash against the Power this season, with the potential that star midfielder Hayden Young could return to an already stacked onball brigade.

Port by comparison will have to draw into its reserves, shuffle the magnets, and heap responsibility on midfield role players as it tackles the AFL's most damaging stoppage team.

Brodie shapes as an option to come into the midfield this week, despite not featuring at AFL level since the round three loss to West Coast at Adelaide Oval in his only game for the Power.

The 27-year-old is a pure ball-winner who had 42 disposals and 12 clearances a fortnight ago against South Adelaide in the SANFL, albeit he is coming off one of his quieter games at the weekend with 19 and five against North Adelaide.

Anther option for the Power to consider this week is in-form rookie Jack Watkins, who has been a consistent ball-winner and stoppage player at SANFL level since playing nine AFL games in the first half of the season.

Young pair Will Lorenz (one game in 2026) and Christin Moraes (seven) could also be called on to play support roles in the midfield alongside the remaining experience of Ollie Wines and Willem Drew.

Then there are the magnet moves that Port can make, with Miles Bergman a strong chance to shift into the midfield and play a similar role to Horne-Francis after his third game back from a toe injury.

Joe Richards attended six centre ball-ups in the 14-point loss to St Kilda and could be given more responsibility, likewise wingman Jase Burgoyne, who attended three in the opening quarter against the Saints.

"Everyone wants to play in the midfield, so now's the time to step in and get it done," midfield coach Stuart Dew said on Monday.

"There are some guys that we know are natural midfielders that play in different positions, so they'll get a good opportunity.

"Sometimes having some youth in there is also good. You have that blissful attitude to taking on the best, and obviously Fremantle are red hot at the moment."

Dew said the Power were building a midfield "around the group, not individuals", and the players had bought into that approach.

Whether Brodie fits this week against his former team, time will tell. But he is an option with size and experience, and the Power should see what the 190cm midfielder remains capable of at the top level after signing him until the end of 2027.

The former Gold Coast midfielder played the best football of his 55-game career in 2022 when Port Adelaide coach Josh Carr was his midfield coach at Fremantle, playing 24 games and averaging 26.8 disposals, 12.0 contested possessions and 5.7 clearances.

He fell out of favour as the Dockers' midfield grew in stature, however, and Fremantle was happy to facilitate a trade at the end of last season to help him earn more senior opportunities, receiving pick No.103 from the Power.

The opportunities haven't come in the manner that Brodie would have hoped, but earning an opportunity and standing up against his former team could be just the spark he needs to help the Power through an injury crisis late in the year.

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