PORT ADELAIDE was unchanged for last year's AFL preliminary final - and might go from qualifying to preliminary finals again with the same 23 next week.

Specialist forward Orazio Fantasia is expected to stay in the line-up for the home preliminary final despite being subbed out of the qualifying final win against Geelong with concern for his left knee. 

Port Adelaide football chief Chris Davies says Fantasia’s recovery since Friday night has progressed so well that the Essendon recruit will not need scans on the knee early this week.

"We are confident Orazio is going to play," Davies said at Alberton on Monday. "We won't bother with scans in the short term. He will rest for the next two or three days and we expect him to be available."

Rising Star forward Mitch Georgiades, who strained his left hamstring in the round 23 win against the Western Bulldogs, stepped up training on Monday with the prospect of making a return through the SANFL this weekend.

"Mitch will train (Monday) with a view to being ready to go at SANFL level this weekend if the guys choose to do so," Davies said. 

"The group is pretty healthy so outside of (Fantasia and Georgiades) everyone has reported they are feeling fine and ready to have a couple of days' rest before we ramp training up towards the end of the week."

Port Adelaide has advanced to its second consecutive preliminary final - and third since 2014 - that will be played at Adelaide Oval on Saturday, September 11. The time slot is 7.10pm. The opponent will be the winner of the Brisbane-Western Bulldogs semi-final at the Gabba this weekend.

The question of being unchanged - or adjusting the 23 for the opponent - will put the match committee into a renewed debate on the merit of three or four tall forwards, particularly if Georgiades is on the selection whiteboard with Charlie Dixon, Todd Marshall and second ruckman Peter Ladhams.

"It is not getting easier at selection," Davies said. "We have had a challenging year in regards to selection because we have had players out (with injury). We are getting closer to feeling like we know what our best 23 is. But ultimately that 23 will be shaped by our opponent.

"There is no doubt that the coaches have options - and that probably more important than knowing your best group. You know you have options depending on the opponent - or whether there is the need to cover injuries.

"The first question the coaches would be asking is about the taller forward line. Is there room for Georgiades to come back into the team? That question was taken out of our hands at the weekend, but it is not off the selection table.

"And there would be other positions the coaches would be looking at - and, importantly, we have selection pressure and that is vital at this time of the year."

The removal of the pre-finals bye - introduced in 2016 - worked in Port Adelaide's favour to maintain momentum. A member of the AFL competition committee, Davies remains open minded on the bye.

"It worked pretty well for us," said Davies of playing on a seven-day break. "My personal view is that rewarding the top teams is important and rolling into finals is a good thing. But I am not going to go to war over it.

"It has been a good thing for us this year. It might not be down the track. Right now, we're pretty comfortable (in removing the pre-finals bye)."

Port Adelaide will have its first break from AFL action since early June. There is a case to be made for both the rest and continuing with full momentum that has delivered seven consecutive wins.

"We don't need a break, but it is good that we have qualified to have a break," Davies said. "It has been a long season. But at the same time we are playing some good footy at the moment.

"So there is a balance to it all.

"Most importantly, it is great we have qualified in the way that we have."

Port Adelaide's players will leave isolation on Tuesday and then have three days off from football.

"It is recovery (on Monday) and then the guys will have a little bit of a break," Davies said. "They will be back to training later in the week. We want to give the guys a chance to have a couple of days to themselves."

Port Adelaide will have its home preliminary final follow that of Melbourne and Geelong/Greater Western Sydney. The bye before the grand final on Saturday, September 25 removes any concern over having 24 hours less to prepare for the biggest game of the season.

"If we are good enough to win the preliminary final (on September 11) there will be a couple of weeks before the grand final, so it is less important whether you have your preliminary final on the Friday or Saturday night," Davies said.

"Obviously our challenge is actually get the job done in the preliminary final."

The free-kick count from the qualifying final heavily favoured Geelong in the first half and finished at 19-24 in Geelong's favour. While the count itself is never an accurate and full reflection on umpiring, there were many calls that were criticised by even well-briefed umpiring experts.

"We discuss the umpiring trends every week with the umpires," Davies said. "I am not a massive one for getting involved in umpiring. These things work in your favour some times and against you other times. I am sure there is a view from the pure numbers on the weekend where we might have got a rough deal. But I am not sure that was the case.

"We will keep in contact with the umpires to remain abreast of what is happening across the competition."

Port Adelaide's SANFL campaign continues at the weekend against the unbeaten Glenelg. The match at Alberton Oval on Saturday afternoon will feature several Port Adelaide AFL-listed players - in particular defender Tom Clurey and perhaps Georgiades - wanting to prove their readiness to step up to AFL duty if required.

Port Adelaide's progress to consecutive preliminary finals comes with the question of whether the team is better prepared to take the next step to a grand final?

"We have had more challenges thrown at us throughout the minor round this year," Davies said. "That would suggest we are better placed. Ultimately, time will tell. We are better prepared ... this year the coaches and players have been increasingly focused on playing the right way."