HE has not said it as often as "you get what you deserve", but Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley does insist no team should be defined by one player.

Or two ... Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma, or - more to the point - the absence of the two talented tyros by injury.

Certainly Carlton coach David Teague has taken note.

"They still have a lot of good players out there - and one thing Port Adelaide do really well," says Teague, "and as a coach you admire (this), they play their system.

"They will bring new guys in and play that (Port Adelaide) system.

"It is not so much the personnel as much as it is the way they play. They like to attack, particularly through the corridor and defend in their half.

"It is a similar way to how we want to play. They have been doing it a lot better than us over the past couple of years."

At selection, a battered Port Adelaide has been forced into just two changes by injuries to Butters (ankle) and Duursma (knee) and opted to cast aside back-up ruckman Peter Ladhams, as was the original plan for the home clash with Richmond last week.

It is not an overwhelming recast of the line-up with the recalls of key forward Todd Marshall, in-form half-forward Boyd Woodcock and the versatile 2021 debutant Miles Bergman.

Port Adelaide’s second unforced change is the “recall” of 108-game midfielder-defender Sam Mayes - the activated medical substitute against Richmond - for his 10th AFL match on the MCG a night when experience of the G will count. Mayes takes the place of Willem Drew.

The "Port Adelaide way" noted by David Teague should not collapse on these injury setbacks and selection calls at a club that is seeking to prove it has great depth to this player list.

Hinkley closed the training program at Alberton on Friday offering his own praise of Carlton, a team that has very much looked at the Port Adelaide blueprint for advancing from football's no man's land just outside the AFL top eight.

"If we are at all confused about the quality we are coming up against," said Hinkley, "we should watch that last minute of football (against Carlton at the Gabba in round 7 last year) to know they can take us to the end ... and past the end (to win with Robbie Gray's goal after the siren).

"Carlton is an emerging young side with a lot of talent that at some stage is going to break through. We certainly know the quality of their side - and the way they play is really challenging."

After a solid month of home-and-away action, the game statistics have some greater meaning - and potential pointers to how this match could unfold.

The numbers do highlight Teague's point of two rivals sharing a similar philosophy on how to keep the scoreboard tumblers turning.

Port Adelaide has a marginally higher count on the disposal averages (385 to 380), scoring averages suggest Port Adelaide is more accurate by converting 14 goals from 25 shots on the goal front while Carlton is 12 from 25; and both teams average 55 inside-50s to highlight an attacking-minded game. Port Adelaide's conversion rate is 56.3 per cent while Carlton is challenged in front of goal with a 49.2 per cent accuracy count.

Carlton has a better average at stoppages by winning 39 a match compared to Port Adelaide's 32. But Port Adelaide has the better numbers (again marginally) at centre clearances, 13.8 to 13.

Carlton prefers less handball than Port Adelaide on the kick-to-handball ratio (1.73 to 1.41).

For the third consecutive week, Port Adelaide lead ruckman Scott Lycett has to deal with a ruckman brimming in confidence (Marc Pittonet 57 hit-outs last week) - and find advantage while team-mates Ollie Wines and Travis Boak work against a quality midfield unit: Patrick Cripps, Sam Walsh, Marc Murphy, Jack Newnes, Ed Curnow.

"This weekend," says Lycett, "we have to be careful at stoppages. Carlton has Cripps in there - he is one of the best centre-square clearance players in the game. Their midfield has been working really well. Sam Walsh is up and about.

"We're a bit bruised and battered at the moment. We know we have a fight on our hands. They are one of the best in that (stoppage) area and we pride ourselves on stoppages too. So we are going to be up and about for the fight, for sure."

Port Adelaide returns to the MCG - where it has a 2-1 win-loss record against Carlton - for the first time since round 18, 2019 (July 20 when it lost by 38 points to Richmond).

After a 22-month absence, the more-experienced Port Adelaide players - such as Lycett - will need a refresher course on the traps posed by the 146-metre width of the MCG deck. And some Port Adelaide players will be dealing for the first time with the Melbourne colosseum's aura - and the intimidation Teague is urging from his Carlton fans.

"It is a 'different' ground and we have not played there for a while," Lycett said. "Mitch Georgiades and a few others have never played at the G because of the COVID lockdown last year. 

"It is definitely a tricky ground because it is wide. And we don't play there too often, two or three times a year. We want to be there at the business end of the year with finals - and big finals are played at the G - so we need this experience for the young guys. Other than Adelaide Oval, there is no better place to play than the MCG."

BIRD SEED

(the little stuff that counts most)

Carlton v Port Adelaide 

Where: MCG, Melbourne

When: Saturday, April 17, 2021

Time: 6.55pm (SA time)

Last time: Port Adelaide 9.10 (64) d Carlton 9.7 (61) at the Gabba, round 7, July 19, 2020

Overall: Port Adelaide 19, Carlton 13, one draw.

Past five games (most recent first): W W W W L 

Scoring average: Port Adelaide 100, Carlton 90

Drawn game - Port Adelaide 15.19 (109) drew with Carlton 16.13 (109) at Football Park, round 4, April 16, 2005.

Tightest margin - Port Adelaide by three points (64-61) at the Gabba, round 7, July 19, 2020; Carlton by one point (104-103) at Football Park, round 23, August 31, 2013.

Biggest margin - Port Adelaide by 103 points (140-37) at Adelaide Oval, round 22, August 22, 2014; Carlton by 91 points (169-78) at Princes Park, round 6, April 15, 2000.

By venues - Adelaide Oval (3-0); Football Park (8-1-7); Princes Park (3-1); MCG (2-1); Docklands (2-4), Gabba (1-0).

By States - SA: 11-1-7; Victoria: 7-6; Queensland: 1-0.

IT HAD been a while since Port Adelaide graced the MCG, but on Saturday night's evidence it might want to get used to playing there.

Stepping onto the iconic ground for the first time in 637 days, its 28-point victory over Carlton was both a demonstration of its finals quality and of its determination to soon return to the home of footy for that last Saturday in September.

The Power were ruthless in their 15.6 (96) to 9.14 (68) win, with their array of potent weapons in the forward line providing the ammunition to put a lacklustre Blues outfit to the sword.

Tall timber Mitch Georgiades and Charlie Dixon marked everything in the air and combined for five goals, while the mosquito fleet of Robbie Gray and Orazio Fantasia proved just as dangerous on ground level to share five more between them.

All the while, Ollie Wines (32 disposals, seven clearances) and Travis Boak (29 disposals, seven score involvements) did the damage from midfield as Port Adelaide improved its record on the season to 4-1 with relative ease.

Sam Walsh (29 disposals, eight clearances, one goal) battled hard. But for Carlton, this was a brutal reality check after successive wins over the last fortnight had briefly rekindled some positivity.

Even before the fight had been sapped from the Blues, their foot hold in the match had appeared on shaky ground. On multiple occasions in the first half, the Power looked threatening without stretching their advantage much beyond three goals.

But a 50m penalty against co-captain Patrick Cripps enabled Scott Lycett to finally convert Port Adelaide's control over the contest into dominance on the scoreboard, extending the advantage to 23 points at half-time.

Carlton's problems were compounded when key defender Jacob Weitering was forced off for an extended period in the third term with a head knock, allowing Georgiades and Dixon to continue having their way with an outgunned Blues backline.

Weitering eventually returned, but four straight Port Adelaide goals to finish the third quarter had put Carlton out of touch. It meant that while Matt Cottrell's stunning snap to start the final term wowed supporters, it mattered little to the final result.

Magnets were flipped, with Mitch McGovern going back and Tom Williamson moving forward, but by that stage the only thing the Blues could win was respectability on the scoreboard on what was an otherwise comfortable night for the Power.

Three-headed beast has Port firing

Port Adelaide has long flirted with unleashing Charlie Dixon, Todd Marshall and Mitch Georgiades together for a consistent period and was afforded the opportunity to continue their partnership on Saturday night. It proved a masterstroke, with the key forward trio working strongly in tandem and each hitting the scoreboard in a resounding win. Georgiades provided the high-flying, kicking three goals from 15 disposals. Dixon provided the brute force, clunking a series of big marks and finishing with two majors. Marshall then provided the link between midfield and attack, with his one goal complementing 19 disposals and nine marks. Try stopping this forward line as it continues to develop and improve.

Blues keep McGovern on his toes

A head knock to Jacob Weitering, which forced Carlton's reigning best and fairest winner from the field in the third quarter, made for a tricky 20 minutes for the returning Mitch McGovern. Playing his first game for the year, McGovern had spent the first half playing forward before being shifted into a defensive role on Todd Marshall when Weitering was undergoing a concussion test. It made for a mildly amusing scene at the three-quarter time huddle, when McGovern joined the defensive group only for Weitering to trot from the rooms and motion to his teammate to go back to the forwards meeting. McGovern finished with one goal from 13 disposals and five marks on his return from hamstring and back issues, continuing to push into the backline even after Weitering returned.

Life in Robbie's legs

Robbie Gray didn't appear to mind the pesky youth of Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma being out of his 50m arc on Saturday night, with the 33-year-old winding back the clock in the absence of the club's gun youngsters. Gray had three goals to half-time, dominating as the Power cleared the forward line for their veteran star. Whether it was through his work on ground level, or his supreme finishing ability in front of goal, Gray was the game's most influential player as his side built its early advantage. His impact might have faded after half-time, but the damage had been done. He finished with three goals from 16 disposals on another impactful night.

CARLTON                3.3    4.5      6.10    9.14 (68)

PORT ADELAIDE    4.2    8.4      14.5    15.6 (96)

GOALS

Carlton: Casboult 2, Fogarty, Walsh, McKay, McGovern, Cottrell, Newnes, Pittonet

Port Adelaide: Gray 3, Georgiades 3, Fantasia 2, Dixon 2, Lycett, Marshall, Amon, Woodcock, Rozee

BEST

Carlton: Walsh, Cripps, Saad, Docherty, Casboult

Port Adelaide: Byrne-Jones, Wines, Marshall, Georgiades, Amon, Gray, Aliir

INJURIES

Carlton: Nil

Port Adelaide: Houston (shoulder)

SUBSTITUTES

Carlton: Dow (unused)

Port Adelaide: Drew (replaced Houston)

Crowd: 32,893 at the MCG