Forget winning before next week's bye, Port Adelaide needs to win this Saturday’s game against the Dockers to defend its lofty position on the ladder - looking a week ahead simply doesn't cut it in this game.

BELLIGERENTS

PORT ADELAIDE
Year to date: WWLWWW
Last four at ground: WWWW
Currently ranked: 1st

FREMANTLE
Year to date: WWLWLLW
Last five at ground: not played
Currently ranked: 6th

HEAD TO HEAD
Power 14 v 12 Dockers

PLAYBILL

2014 AFL Premiership Season - Round 8
Port Adelaide v Fremantle
Saturday 10 May
First bounce 1:10pm (ACST)
Hashtags: #pafclive #aflpowerfreo
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YOU’RE INVITED

Official Port Adelaide pre-game event
March from the Mall
Cnr Rundle Mall and Stephens Place
Adelaide SA
Meet: 11:30am
March commences: 11:50am

Official post-game event
William Magarey Room
Level 3, Riverbank Stand
Adelaide Oval
Commences after the game
Selected players and officials in attendance

TIME MACHINE

Round 22, 2013. Port Adelaide was demolished by Fremantle the last time these two sides played, but it wasn’t an entirely disastrous night, after a concurrent win to Carlton over Essendon guaranteed the Power its first finals appearance since 2007.

FREMANTLE 5.4 10.4 15.7 21.8 (134)
PORT ADELAIDE 1.1 1.3 4.4 9.6 (60)

Best: R. Gray, Lobbe, Cornes, Young
Goals: Neade, Wingard, Brad Ebert, Schulz, Monfries, Mitchell, Young, R.Gray, Moore
at Patersons Stadium

MATCH NOTES

Medical room
Alipate Carlile and Hamish Hartlett are certainties to come back into the Power lineup, particularly when it’s coming up against a side like Fremantle. Hartlett’s class will be vital while Carlile is a logical candidate to come up against the big Docker captain Matthew Pavlich. In contrast the Dockers will be without Luke McPharlin (quad) and potentially Zac Dawson, whose ankle injury is to be confirmed.

Milestone match
It's going to be a day like any other for Jay Schulz and Chad Wingard when they line up for the Power, except for the fact they'll play their respective 150th and 50th games. Supporters need little incentive to get to the game, but there's a little added sentimentality with these fan favourites playing important milestones in their careers.

NUMBER CRUNCH

Points For: Power 805 v 604 Dockers
Points Against: Power 523 v 502 Dockers
Kicks: Power 4832 v 5390 Dockers
Handballs: Power 3849 v 3690 Dockers
Marks: Power 2072 v 2434 Dockers
Disposals: Power 8681 v 9080 Dockers
Contested possessions: Power 3298 v 3567 Dockers
Frees: Power 461 v 490 Dockers
Tackles: Power 1593 v 1647 Dockers
Clearances: Power 897 v 917 Dockers
Inside-50s: Power 1225 v 1193 Dockers
Rebound 50s: Power 837 v 842 Dockers

FINAL SAY

The Power has had a very successful start to the season - sitting equal top with Hawthorn after seven rounds was something few predicted at the start of the year - and now the challenge for the Power is to retain its foothold in the top four.

To do that, it needs to play well against quality football sides. It did that against Geelong - a benchmark of the competition for the last seven years - and now needs to produce its best against 2013 grand finallist Fremantle.

The Dockers are considered the best defensive outfit in the competition, and team defence is something the Power prides itself on. 

The Power's quality backline will be bolstered by the inclusion of Carlile, while the incoming Hamish Hartlett is one of the club's best defensive mids.

Port Adelaide's forward line will benefit from the withdrawal of key Fremantle defender Luke McPharlin, but that's no reason for complacency, indeed it should be greater motivation to produce a strong effort. 

The strength of top sides like the Dockers is their capability to cover their losses when a new player steps into the team. 

It's something the Power has started doing well - look at Ben Newton and Paul Stewart's late inclusions last week - and will itself be wary of a Dockers side which may be without several first choice players this weekend. 

Port Adelaide struggled in the wet against the Giants last week but was able to hit full throttle at key points. To beat Fremantle it will need its very best four-quarter effort on a home venue it is slowly turning into a happy hunting ground. 

With milestones for popular forwards Jay Schulz and Chad Wingard, the team will want to get a win. But most importantly, the opportunity to continue winning without looking ahead to significant challenges is something the coaching panel and leadership group has impressed on the whole team. 

It means their focus is (as clichéd as it sounds) on the task at hand. The Power will be keen to keep that trend going this weekend. 

CURRENT ODDS

Power 1.58 v 2.40 Dockers