gecko snowbound: Banned Port player scolded by AFL coach

Friday, July 12, 2013

Utility Justin Westhoff has copped a second dressing down after breaking Port Adelaide's cardinal rule by getting suspended for striking.

Livid coach Ken Hinkley says Westhoff put himself before the team in incurring a one-match AFL ban for belting Essendon's Cale Hooker.

"I won't cop that," Hinkley told reporters on Thursday.

"It's not something I want to have happen in our team.

"Players can live in their own moment for too long and hurt the side - that is not going to help.

"Westy got told that straight after the game and I told him again this morning.

"We miss him. And that hurts our team.

"An individual should never put himself in front of the team."

Westhoff will miss Saturday's home match against table-toppers Hawthorn, as Port try to keep their hold on eighth spot.

The game-breaker will be replaced by forward John Butcher, who after three goals in three games was dropped three weeks ago.

Defender Jasper Pittard has overcome a foot injury and will play against the Hawks, who remain ladder leaders despite last week's loss to Geelong.

"We can learn a lot from how Geelong went," Hinkley said.

"And you can learn a lot from other quarters that other sides have played on them too, not just the Geelong end result.

"There have been sides throughout the year that have caused Hawthorn some issues ... we have just got to look at that and drill right down there."

Hinkley was preparing his players for a scrap, given forecast rain and stiff winds for the Saturday afternoon fixture.

"The way we'll beat Hawthorn is we'll have to play four quarters of our absolute best football," he said.

"Most important in any game, you have got to be willing to commit your body to the contest.

"We need to bring pressure and we need to bring hardness to the contest and if we do that, we'll be in every game we play."

gecko snowbound