PORT Adelaide has suffered a major blow for their AFL clash with St Kilda in Shanghai, losing star midfielder Tom Rockliff to a hamstring injury.
Rockliff only did some running drills during Thursday’s training at Jiangwan Stadium and coach Ken Hinkley later confirmed the onballer will not come up in time for Sunday’s match.
He later cut a dejected figure, sitting on the bench as training continued.
Rockliff suffered the injury during last weekend’s loss to Hawthorn and it will be the first game that he misses this season.
“He’s come over, but he’s just not quite right,” Hinkley said.
“We gave him every possible chance to come up, but there comes a time where you make a decision and that’s today and Tom’s not going to play.”
Hinkley also had no regrets about bringing Rockliff on the trip.
“He ran well on Monday and he’s too good a player not to give that opportunity to,” Hinkley said.
“I know it’s a long way to go, but from a club point of view we have to be prepared to take every opportunity we can to have our best players out there.
But Hinkley said defender Ryan Burton (hamstring) and ruckman Scott Lycett (adductor) are set to return from injury in the third Shanghai match.
© AAP 2019
