THERE will be a squeeze for selection for Port Adelaide’s season opening match against Brisbane on Saturday evening, headlined by the availability for selection of Travis Boak and Junior Rioli.

Boak and Rioli each sat out the final pre-season match against Fremantle with Boak nursing bruised ribs at the time following a heavy collision a week earlier and Rioli missing with illness.

Port Adelaide used 26 players in the loss to the Dockers but will have to trim its side to just 22 for the twilight game against the Lions at Adelaide Oval.

If Rioli is included, it will be his official debut for the club, after 51 games and a premiership with West Coast.

Small forward Francis Evans made the most of limited minutes in the Fremantle game, booting two goals from seven disposals and adding two tackles. The former Geelong player played just over a quarter of the game but did enough to put his name firmly in the frame for a Round 1 club debut. 

Coach Ken Hinkley and the selection committee could also elect to go in with two ruckmen, with mid-season rookie Brynn Teakle getting plenty of minutes alongside the experienced Scott Lycett in pre-season but forward Charlie Dixon also sharing the ruck load.

Six weeks on from ankle syndesmosis surgery, Jeremy Finlayson has returned to full training and will come into selection consideration. The former Giant had an impressive first season at the club, which included 21 goals while splitting his time between playing as a forward and a makeshift ruck.

The selected side to tackle the Lions will be named on Thursday evening, with the tactical substitute to be named from the emergencies one hour prior to first bounce..

Tickets to the game are still available online.

Players not selected could line up in a SANFL pre-season trial game against North Adelaide at Thebarton Oval on Saturday morning from 11am.