Mitch Georgiades is ready to step up to the plate and help Port Adelaide out of a hole if star forward Charlie Dixon is ruled out through injury.
Port are priced at 5/1 to reach the 2022 AFL grand final but injuries are already causing them problems before the season has even started.
Dixon setback
The Power are sweating on the fitness of Dixon who has needed to undergo surgery on torn ligaments in his ankle and could miss the opening rounds of the season.
There are also concerns over small forward Orazio Fantasia who is battling with knee issues and could miss the season opener against the Brisbane Lions on 19th March.
Related Port Adelaide news
Port duo suffer injury setbacks
It is still too early to make a call but Georgiades, who enjoyed an impressive breakout season with 32 goals in 2021, says he is ready to raise his game to cover the absences if needed.
Port also have new recruits Jeremy Finlayson and Todd Marshall and Georgiades says they will come together to play a role.
Ready to step up
"Charlie's obviously such a big part of our team, he's been there for years and he's so strong at what he does, but we do have to step up whether he's playing or not," Georgiades said. "We want to kick more goals, be better players and keep improving every year.
"Whether it's myself, Jez, Toddy - all of us need to step up. We all have the ability to play together.
"We all have such different talents and ability to get up and down the ground between Todd, Jez and myself, and we know what Charlie brings, so it's all about trying to get that to work together."
