Port Adelaide will opt to go without a specialist ruckman, instead opting for the effective Finlayson-Dixon ruck tandem, for its clash with Essendon. Image: AFL Photos.

IT is back to Plan B with Port Adelaide's ruck battery. Key forwards Jeremy Finlayson and Charlie Dixon - with the support act of Sam Powell-Pepper - will resume ruck duties against Essendon at the Docklands on Sunday.

After a poor return on hit-outs and clearances against Richmond at Adelaide Oval at the weekend, Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has opted to gain greater bite at ground level by restoring Finlayson to the midfield rotations.

The likely return of key forwards Todd Marshall (from COVID protocols) and Mitch Georgiades (from SANFL action) allows the release of Finlayson and Dixon from prime forward roles - and forces mid-season rookie draftee Brynn Teakle to fall out of the AFL side after his comeback match at the weekend.

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"The (Finlayson-Dixon) system has worked reasonably well for us," Hinkley said at Alberton on Friday morning. "We were keen to give Brynn another opportunity (after his AFL debut in June ended with a broken collarbone after 35 minutes). But he has a lot to work on; a lot of craft to work on in his game. It was worthwhile for him to have another look and another feel (at AFL level).

"Clearly, Jeremy Finlayson and Charlie Dixon and Sam Powell-Pepper - whatever we have needed to do - we have done it pretty successfully and we will continue to do that for the next couple of weeks.

"Ideally, we would have a ruckman in the team," added Hinkley who lost experienced ruckman Scott Lycett in round four during the home clash with AFL premier Melbourne. He has been sidelined by shoulder surgery and the complications with infection after that operation.

"We don't have the right ruckman available this week."

Jeremy Finlayson will retain the primary ruck role against Essendon following Brynn Teakle's omission from the side. Image: AFL Photos.

Port Adelaide has flagged at least two changes with the removal of Teakle and experienced forward Robbie Gray from the 23-man line-up that lost to Richmond.

Hinkley has Marshall, Georgiades, half-back Riley Bonner, midfielder Jackson Mead, the versatile Trent Dumont and untried Ollie Lord in contention for final selection on Friday evening.

Port Adelaide has rested Gray - and Hinkley will leave the call on his future in the hands of the 270-game club hero.

"Robbie Gray has the absolute right to make his own decisions because he has been our greatest player of our club in the AFL era, in my simple view," Hinkley said. "He will make those decisions when it best suits Rob.

"I have not had that conversation with Rob. He would walk into my office and tell me (of his plans). He deserves that right.

"Robbie is being looked after this week; he pulled up sore from the game (against Richmond) and we know he has been dealing with a knee for the whole season not just this week," added Hinkley. "We are playing on a hard deck (at the Docklands). It is not the perfect way to prepare Robbie.

"Rob will make all his decisions, like we will, at the right moments at the right time of the season.”

Robbie Gray will be managed after battling a knee issue throughout the 2022 season and will not travel to Marvel Stadium. Image: AFL Photos.

Not to play again this season is specialist forward Orazio Fantasia.

"Orazio will not get through another game this year," Hinkley said. "He has pulled up sore after the weekend (match in the SANFL). We have tried really hard - and great credit to Orazio for sticking at trying to get himself up - but the best thing we can do now is plan 2023 for Orazio and make sure he has the best chance to start pre-season in tip-top condition.

"There is rest, recovery and strengthening his body. The great part of Orazio is the knee that caused the problems last year is perfect, but it is soft-tissue issues. He has not had the preparation. And it is proven he needs a good block of conditioning in his program to be successful and that is what we will work to - a good strong block of conditioning.

"We have significant confidence we can get him right. Before having a collision injury on his knee, Orazio was in really good shape. The knee injury led to the soft-tissue issues more than anything else. It is not calf. It is not hamstring. It is a lack of conditioning. I am really confident we can get him right - and he is a massive part of us being a really good team if we get him right."

Georgiades' returns after a two-goal return in the SANFL against Sturt with Hinkley noting the West Australian "played at the level we expected in the SANFL."

"Mitch looked a level above that with his weapons," Hinkley said. "Mitch all through this season - be it his conversion or consistency - has not been where he would like his form to be. He is a high-quality young player and we know he is part of our future. We want him in the side as much as possible."

Port Adelaide will enter the fast deck of the west Melbourne indoor stadium to face an Essendon team noted for taking advantage of speed.

"They will put that on the game," Hinkley said. "Essendon play there regularly; we have not played there this year. We had a great record (with six wins from six matches) there in 2021, but '21 does not count for much now. We have to turn up knowing the last time we played Essendon, at Adelaide Oval, it was a real challenge and real fight for us, particularly when it was wet."

Ken Hinkley says Mitch Georgiades looked "a level above" in the SANFL over the weekend, closer to the form both the club and Mitch himself expects. Image: Scott Starkey.

Port Adelaide has two AFL home-and-away games to play with major decisions to follow on list management and reworking the playbook, particularly after struggling to score this season at the levels that built a top-four side in 2020 and last year.

"List-management wise, you are always getting information," Hinkley said. "Game style, that is pretty well embedded, so you cannot change too much now. It would be foolish to expect change now would be successful. So, we will stick with what we know at the moment and then work hard to make sure we are at elite level (for 2023). We will revisit everything at the end of the season to see what changes are needed for game style."

While Hinkley has Lord closer to AFL selection, the prospect of seeing first-round draftee Josh Sinn again on national league duty this season is off the cards.

After building high anticipation during the pre-season and making his AFL debut in round 2 against Hawthorn at Adelaide Oval, Sinn - the No. 12 pick in the 2021 AFL national draft - has been sidelined by injury and won’t play again this year.

"Josh has had groin issues all year and he has not quite recovered," Hinkley said. "The investment we put into Josh as a young player was huge - and we know he is going to be an outstanding player.

"Unfortunately, with young young people in these COVID times they have not played nor conditioned themselves with enough football to give themselves a chance. Josh Sinn is not the only player in the AFL in his first year who - after not playing much football in the past couple of years - is struggling a little bit. But I am confident of our program and that our conditioning team will get him right."