WILLEM Drew has quickly developed his calling card as a man on a mission after waiting longer than expected - and with unexpected setbacks - to become a key part of the Port Adelaide midfield.

Drew is a man Port Adelaide can confidently assign to deal with opposition threats, as highlighted in round 23 last season with that epic duel against Western Bulldogs midfielder Tom Liberatore at the Docklands.

At 23, and in the lead-up to his hard-earned 50th AFL game, Drew hopes destiny will not be as slow in changing the impression on his value to the Port Adelaide engine room.

"I have found my role in the midfield playing alongside some great midfielders - and learning a lot alongside Ollie Wines and Travis Boak," says Drew who has drawn high praise from his team-mate for the defensive acts that do not make the Champion Data statistic sheets.

"My role changes week to week," adds Drew, who this weekend will deal with the Greater Western Sydney midfield at Adelaide Oval - an opponent that traditionally has not served up a strict shutdown role for the Victorian draftee.

"Something I am working on is having more impact on the game offensively. I feel I am getting better at that. In the future, I am looking to improve that - it is my main goal.

"For me, that involves using my strengths - my running ability - to get on the outside."

Inside, Drew has dealt with the AFL's gallery of midfield stars - most notably, in Drew's memory, Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli and Carlton bull Patrick Cripps.

"When you play on these superstar players, you learn a lot from their game," Drew said. "You take little things from them and you try to implement them in your own game. That is definitely the benefit of playing on those superstars.

"They are strong. They are big. And it is always a great challenge to go up against them."

Drew arrived at Alberton with Port Adelaide's call at No. 33 in the 2016 AFL national draft after he had played his junior football with the North Ballarat Rebels in the under-18 series. His stop-start run to his 50-game AFL milestone includes 10 matches in 2019, the full 24 last season and all 15 this season. The 2017, 2018 and 2020 seasons were derailed by foot injuries and rounds of surgery that tested Drew's patience and belief, but not that of Port Adelaide that maintained faith.

"It has taken its time (to 50) ... I am into my sixth year and looking back, early on I was questioning if I would play a game at all, let alone 50," Drew said. "(The milestone - and work to reach 50 games) is something I am definitely proud of. Hopefully, there are plenty more to come.

"For me now, I probably need to put on more size for that strength," said Drew, who tips the scales at 87 kilograms.

Port Adelaide gets to restore the balance on its win-loss counter (currently 7-8) with the home clash against non-finalist Greater Western Sydney on Saturday evening. The lessons of the eight-point loss to Fremantle in Perth on Sunday linger, particularly for a midfield that could be working to the makeshift ruck tandem of Jeremy Finlayson and Charlie Dixon again.

"Everyone has been happy with the way Charlie and Jeremy have been able to come into the ruck and compete - and that is what we ask of them," Drew said. "For us, as midfielders, we think they have been brilliant. Their work around the ground - they are competing hard.

"We're happy with whatever decisions the coaches make (re ruck combinations) - and we will leave that up to the coaches.

"Not much changes (to the midfield psyche) if Charlie or Jeremy are in there. We have full confidence in their ability to compete - and to bring it to the areas we want. We are focusing on that - and backing them to do their job.

"(Against Fremantle), we started the game as we wanted. We finished in the way we wanted to play. But when you give up that lead in the second quarter and third quarter - and let Fremantle take the game away from us - you are left to do a lot of things right to win the game.

"We gave it a massive effort. We are proud of that. But ultimately, we did lose. And it came from that second and third term when we gave up too many points.

"We have looked at the momentum swings in the review. It is something we are going to continue to work on to stop those lapses to make sure we are in the game for longer."

The Fremantle loss marked the fifth time in seven games that Port Adelaide has lost in matches decided by 12 points or less this season.

"Last year, we won most of those close games," Drew said. "This year, we are on the other end of it. Finding ways to claw back the lead means we need little things to go our way to get the wins. We have not done ourselves any favours with the way we started the season (with a 0-5 count). But we are going to fight (to stay in contention for a top-eight berth)."

 Port Adelaide will name its match 22 - with the medical substitute among the emergencies - on Thursday evening.

There will be one forced change with the loss of Rising Star nominee Lachie Jones (hamstring). Midfielder Zak Butters (knee) is expected to resume after a two-game absence.

"Zak was a big chance to play last week, but they gave him another week to get ready," Drew said. "He has trained really well - and he is another player who provides a lot for us in offence and defence (as a midfielder) to be a great asset for the team."

The match will begin at 7pm.