FREMANTLE'S defensive capabilities have been the bedrock of its success, but Port Adelaide's Alipate Carlile says this year's Dockers are just as dangerous on the scoreboard.

The club's offensive arsenal was boosted this week by the return of skipper Matthew Pavlich from a quad injury.

Pavlich has booted 40 goals this year, while Hayden Ballantyne has kicked 45.

Only two other sides in the competition have multiple players who have kicked at least 40 goals in 2014 – Hawthorn (Jarryd Roughead 58, Luke Breust 52 and Jack Gunston 46) and Adelaide (Eddie Betts 46 and Josh Jenkins 40).

Combine their two key targets with the likes of Michael Walters and a host of goal-kicking midfielders, and the Dockers are armed to the teeth.

The brigade will hope to fire against Port Adelaide on Saturday, when the two teams fight for fourth spot on the ladder and the coveted double chance in the finals.

Carlile said it was intimidating to prepare for a player of Pavlich's quality, but that the real threat was the damage the Dockers' forward line could do as a whole.

With Fremantle less reliant on Pavlich to propel it to a match-winning score, Carlile said the Dockers are a unit quite capable of matching their defensive prowess with attack.

"It's pretty daunting [to come up against Pavlich], he's a superstar of the game and obviously we'll give him a fair bit of respect," Carlile said.

"They've got Walters, Ballantyne, (Chris) Mayne and guys like that as well, so they've got a really even spread across their forward line and it's not so Pavlich-focused anymore.

"But in saying that, he bobbed up and kicked five the other week."

With Carlile and teammate Jackson Trengove back and playing well, the Power flew a full-strength team to Perth on Friday.

Carlile (hamstring) missed three games and Trengove (ankle) four after being injured in Port's round 15 loss to Adelaide.

The injection of experience into a young Power backline has proved invaluable upon their return, but Carlile said Port's recent form was more about its ball movement than personnel.

Carlile feels simple footy will be the key to beating Fremantle – hard, contested possessions and quick inside 50s.

"You've just got to go back to the basics, winning contested ball, get the ball into our forward line and give our forwards a chance as quickly as possible," he said.