CAPTAIN Tom Jonas is joining the long line of Port Adelaide players who make their return from absences through SANFL ranks. He will lead the Port Adelaide SANFL team at Alberton Oval on Sunday, 24 hours after watching Brownlow Medallist Ollie Wines direct the AFL side seeking its ninth consecutive win by beating Hawthorn at Adelaide Oval.

Jonas is eligible to resume competitive football after serving a one-match ban from the AFL match review officer, a penalty that cost the defender his second game in five weeks. With such a stop-start run during the past two months - that includes missing a third match by injury - Port Adelaide's match committee concluded Jonas was best served with a run in the SANFL, in the same way lead ruckman Scott Lycett has done recently.

And the return to SANFL ranks comes with full understanding from Jonas, says Port Adelaide senior coach Ken Hinkley.

"As a good leader of our football club, Tom understands the players in the team last week played really well and strong (against Richmond at the MCG)," said Hinkley praising Lachie Jones on his work in defence.

"As you would expect from Tom Jonas, he took (the decision in the right way) ... that is why he is the leader of our football club. He understands the team is going really well and he would never put himself in front of the team regardless of his position (as captain). He is very accepting of what is going on. He also knows it is good for him to go back, have a game where he gets some form and makes sure he is in good nick when he comes back (to AFL).

"We are in really good form; Tom has missed a bit of footy over the past month - the past five weeks by suspension and that injury. It will be good for him to run around and have a kick in the SANFL. It will be a great opportunity for him as a leader to lead a young team.

"Most importantly, this decision is based on the team performing really well - and Tom understands that. We know Tom is a proud man and he will give his absolute all on Sunday.

"But no-one is guaranteed selection straight back into our team. It is a big call; a significant call but the call of a team that is in really good form and consistent with our behaviours. We don't separate anyone be it the captain or a first-year player. You get the opportunity to play by form."

Port Adelaide will name its line-up on Thursday evening with Hinkley - before the main training session at Alberton on Thursday morning - predicting:

KEY forwards Todd Marshall (concussion) and Charlie Dixon (quad) to resume.

"We are certainly optimistic on Todd and we are optimistic on Charlie," Hinkley said.

MIDFIELDER Travis Boak to be an unlikely starter.

"We are less optimistic around Travis," Hinkley said. "Travis had copped another significant knock in the same (rib area) as he did in the pre-season (against West Coast) and last time it took quite a period of time to get over it. I expect he will be available next week."

SPECIALIST forward Orazio Fantasia is ready to return to competitive matches after a horrid run with soft-tissue injuries. 

"Orazio will play SANFL (against Woodville-West Torrens on Sunday) and he looks really great on the training track," Hinkley said. "We are optimistic for him. We just hope he gets a fair crack at it. We know the quality of the player."

RUCKMAN Brynn Teakle to be unavailable while he awaits a medical report on a foot injury that put him in a moon boot this week after being injured at the weekend.

"We don't expect him to be available for the short term," Hinkley said. "Short to medium term ... we will get all that information this afternoon."

Also notable from Hinkley's media conference on Thursday was:

NEW SPARK: With mid-season rookie draftee Quinton Narkle joining the Port Adelaide squad from the Essendon VFL ranks after 41 AFL games and 18 goals in five seasons with Geelong.

"Quinton adds depth to that group of players who are forward-mid or mid-forward; they can add more to your game," Hinkley said. "We wanted to have good coverage (against injury). He is a desperately unlucky player; that is what our recruiting team thought of him. I met with him and he is in really good physical shape. He has been playing really strong football at Essendon in the VFL.

"(The 25-year-old West Australian) is crying out for an opportunity - he is an AFL player who is not in the AFL.

"We had some views on some younger players but we felt for where we are this season, Quinton was the best fit for us. We have proven over the past two mid-season drafts with Jed McEntee and Brynn Teakle that we don't wait ...

"Quinton is pretty desperate and a pretty good story as a second-chance opportunity."

OPPO WATCH: Hawthorn (ranked 16th) returns to the Adelaide Oval - after putting together consecutive wins against West Coast and St Kilda - with notable confidence. It did beat Port Adelaide by 64 points in the last encounter in round two last season when the Oval was dressed in tribute to club great Russell Ebert.

"What happened in round two last year does not matter in round 12 this year ... so we go into the game preparing to play for this moment," Hinkley said.

"In this moment, we know what has made us successful. We understand the threat from the quality of the opposition; we will never underestimate that. We go to work as hard as we can.

"Hawthorn is emerging. It is pretty exciting for them as they emerge with that young group. They will be a real challenge for us. We want to dull their excitement as much as we can."

Saturday’s match at Adelaide Oval starts at 1.15pm.