Port Adelaide forward Ollie Lord has reportedly received interest from both Geelong and Melbourne as he continues to be overlooked for senior selection.
Power coach Ken Hinkley has the 23-year-old at his disposal, and with Jeremy Finlayson previously deployed in the back half, and the long-term injury to Todd Marshall, Lord's selection practically picked itself.
But heading into Round 2 against Richmond, that is not to be.
Assistant coach Josh Carr described Lord as "a little bit off in regards to his own form", noting that injuries have played a part in the pre-season.
"In previous years, he's been knocking the door down and coming into the team, and just at the moment, he's probably just a little bit off in regards to his own form," Carr said on Friday.
"He's probably a product a little bit of those injuries in the pre-season, because in the pre-season games, he was played in the ruck a lot.
"We're just trying to give him his best chance now to go forward at the Maggies and get his form up so that when he comes into the AFL team, he comes in with confidence.
"And, like I said, it's probably the ruck stuff, probably holding him back a bit in that in that pre-season, we needed someone to compete against (Jordon) Sweetie, because we didn't have the other two guy and Lord, he was that guy that went in there.
"Hopefully from now on, he can build that form at Maggies."
The omission from the senior side comes as interest from the Cats, and especially the Demons, according to The Advertiser, look to bolster their front half in years to come.
Lord has shown tremendous upside since being drafted in 2020 with Pick 49.
The Victorian product, who spent time at Geelong Grammar, has played 19 games and kicked 21 goals, including a break-out four-goal performance in the 2023 Qualifying Final against Brisbane.
Lord is contracted until the end of 2026.
