Veteran Port Adelaide midfielder Kane Cornes has been rested from his side’s clash with North Melbourne on Saturday.
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Power coach Ken Hinkley is aiming to manage 32-year-old through the AFL season to ensure the Cornes can play out the 22-round fixture, plus a possible finals apperance.
However, Hinkley expects Cornes to return for Port’s ANZAC Day clash against Hawthorn in round four.
“Kane and I have had really good conversations right through the pre-season – almost from the end of last season, really – about this year of football for him,” Hinkley told the club’s website.
“One of the things we talked about was managing the most amount of football from him as we possibly could, at the highest standard possible.
“We’re very mindful that in those decisions, you have to put things in place at a point where you just have to back them in and go with them, that’s what we’ve done here with Kane.
“We expect Kane to come back into the side next week, no problems at all, but we are managing and controlling the loads he has this year.”
Whilst he understood the situation, Cornes told FiveAA radio he was a little surprised he the call came so early in the season.
“Initially I was surprised,” Cornes is quoted as saying by The Advertiser.
“I knew it was coming at some point, but I was not expecting it at round three when my body is pretty good. When Kenny worked me through his thought process, I was okay about it.
“(Hinkley) thought it was time to manage me this week to make sure I was right at the end of the business end of the season.”
Port have got off to a poor start in 2015, losing its two opening encounters against fellow premiership contenders Fremantle and Sydney.
The Power face a tough trip to Melbourne to take on top four hopefuls North Melbourne and will be dearly wanting to avoid being 0-3 heading into its clash against reigning premiers Hawthorn in round four.
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