Brendan Lines       29 July, 2020 1:15PM

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has made the headline inclusion of mid Tom Rockliff for Thursday’s clash against Melbourne, Hinkley says there is no time to reflect approaching the season’s half-way point as the rounds nine to 12 compressed phase begins. 

Hinkley spoke today at Alberton before Wednesday’s captains run.

“One thing we haven’t got time for is reflection, we have got time for the next game and that’s about all we’ve got,” he said.

“It’s really good to be honest, because you can’t get lost moving on to the next game, this is the greatest opportunity to go on because you have to be ready to go.”

Rockliff was omitted due to lacklustre form after round five, his now inclusion into the midfield might just be the experience Hinkley is looking for after Port struggled to control the contest at ground level around the ruck against the Saints last week.

“He brings great quality to our team with the way we want to use the ball and the way he helps and instructs other people to setup around the ground,” he said.

”He brings enthusiasm all the time and to his credit over the last three weeks he’s been full of enthusiasm for the club, albeit he had a week where he was bit crook himself so that made it hard,

“You never see a difference in Tom and that’s a important, he’s a leader.”

Hinkley confirmed Jarrod Lienert will come into the side to replace the injured Riley Bonner.

Though Port Adelaide may not be looking back on last week’s performance, the issue of winning the ruck contest becomes manifold this week as Melbourne’s Max Gawn seemingly has the ruck contest already won ‘on paper.’

Hinkley dismissed any suggestion Charlie Dixon might be asked to fulfil a role in the ruck away from being up forward.

Port will again rely on Peter Ladhams in the absence of Scott Lycett to lead the ruck , Hinkley says Ladhams would have learnt a lot from his stoush with the Saints’ Paddy Ryder in order to challenge Gawn.

“Pete would have learned a lot from last week too and Max is a big challenge, if him (Gawn) and (Brodie) Grundy and Nic (Naitanui) are the best three, (then) I’m not sure who they are, but they are pretty damn good and I’m sure it will be a real challenge for Pete, but one that we’re really confident, he’s learning every time he plays,” he said.

Port come into the clash against the Demons off a five-day break, the first short break the club has had this season as it enters the compressed period.

Hinkley says the timing around decision making of future games is going to be brought forward almost with immediate effect as Port have three less days to prepare for its next game against Western Bulldogs.

“We’re going to be making decisions as coaches Friday morning, hopefully after a nice strong win and pick our team, so it’s going to be quite unusual to do it, I look at it that it’s going to be quite exciting to think what you might have to do and what you might not have to do.”

As for the physical toll to the playing group, already carrying six injuries including Todd Marshall out for four to six weeks (thumb), Hinkley says there will be less physicality at training in the turnaround time between games.

“We think we’ll get an opportunity to have ‘small minutes,’ small minutes is what I would call it,” he said.

“There will be smaller minutes where we get the squad on the track, we have a captain’s run today and that’s basically the run we’ll have next week.”

It’s unchartered waters for the competition as a whole, but all the more for Port Adelaide who have to protect the top spot in the tight 19-day flurry of games.

Port Adelaide play Melbourne at the Gabba 7.10pm ACST Thursday.