SIX changes - three forced. Port Adelaide's major shake-up at selection will test the consistency theme that has driven Ken Hinkley's AFL team to a club record 13 consecutive wins.
And it is the consistency of the football program across the AFL and SANFL teams that has Hinkley confident Port Adelaide will stay true to its best form for Saturday's away clash with Carlton at the Docklands in west Melbourne.
"Our optimism," Hinkley said on Friday at Alberton, "is based on our playing the same style of football whatever level (AFL or SANFL) you are at.
"We bring people from the SANFL team to the AFL who understand the way we like to play - and have to play."
Six changes do run the risk of unsettling a line-up, even one in strong winning form but Hinkley maintains the "One Club" theme at Alberton should reduce the risk of a form shift against Carlton this weekend.
"We get it that there is some risk," Hinkley said. "(Inexperienced key forward) Ollie Lord is not Charlie Dixon. That is clear.
"There are some challenges (with six changes). But that does not mean the players coming in don't understand the way we want to play. You always see these people grow with these opportunities - like we saw with Dante Visentini (with his AFL debut a fortnight ago replacing at the last minute lead ruckman Scott Lycett). He played a really strong game in the SANFL last week with his learnings from one AFL match.
"I am really strong on the fact the squad knows how the team plays. Whoever is in the team goes out to play that (Port Adelaide) way."
Port Adelaide negotiated the right to have all its AFL-listed players remain together in the SANFL - rather than be re-assigned to State league rivals - in 2014 with the release of its AFL sub-licence from the SA Football Commission.
The "ins and outs" are summed up by Hinkley as such: "There is a lot to go through. We have lost a few (key forward Charlie Dixon, midfielder Jason Horne-Francis and defender Trent McKenzie) through injury, one (Junior Rioli) through a personal issue (family bereavement) ...
"But what we are optimistic about is we have brought in some people who have played AFL for us already and proved they are more than up to the task.
"We will shuffle around a little bit and be okay.
The key ins -
TOM JONAS (the captain resumes for his first AFL game since the round 10 clash with Melbourne in which he was cited and suspended for one match): "It is great for Tom to be back in the team. He has had to work really hard to get back and I have said for a couple of weeks, he has been in really good form in the SANFL side. With Trent McKenzie (injured) it certainly opened the door for Tom and I am sure he will lead the boys as he has done off the field.
"Tom is incredibly excited about this opportunity. He is such a valuable person at our football club that he will never put himself in front of the team. I can sense his excitement and the chance to play some strong AFL football."
SCOTT LYCETT (resumes after missing two matches with a knee cartilage tear): "Scott got through training (on Thursday) so we are optimistic he will take his place in the team."
XAVIER DUURSMA (returns after a 10-week absence forced by knee surgery): "His return tells you we have brought into the team players who will certainly help. Xavier is part of our best team at any time. He gives us a boost and he gets some AFL football which is really important."
Also resuming this week are Jackson Mead, Jace Burgoyne and Lord for his seventh career AFL game.
The major outs -
CHARLIE DIXON: "Charlie rolled an ankle last week (against Gold Coast at Adelaide Oval in his 200th game). He is a genuine chance to play next week, but wait and see."
JASON HORNE-FRANCIS: "His back has been causing a little bit of grief over the past three or four weeks. It has reached the point where we need to give him a rest. If it is one or two, that is what it will be."
RYAN BURTON (dropped for the second time this season): "It is a form issue ... Ryan is working really hard and he will not be too far away. I am confident and comfortable he will fight his way back to his best form - and that is what we need. We are really clear that we need Ryan in his best form. He makes us a better team when he is in really good form."
QUINTON NARKLE (dropped when many expected he would cover Rioli's absence): "We have had really good form in our SANFL so Xavier Duursma and Jase Burgoyne and Jackson Mead have been playing well there. We have great optimism around what they bring - and what they could do.
"Quinton has been okay and he has played a role. But he still has lots to learn about the way we want to play. We are giving opportunity to those who deserve it."
Hinkley strongly rejected any suggestion selection was based on next week's top-of-the-table clash with Collingwood at Adelaide Oval.
"Not one decision is made with next week in mind," Hinkley said. "We don't do that. I am not a coach who looks - nor is our coaching department - to managing people for next week. We don't like to mess with the team. We want to keep the team pretty stable. If you are in good form and not injured, we play you."
On the OPPO WATCH, Hinkley has noted Carlton's vastly improved form.
"Carlton are in really good form," Hinkley said of the 12th-ranked Blues who have won their past three games. "They have got their clearance game going, they have their pressure game going, they are back in some really strong form and they are pushing hard to get supply to their key forwards.
"Our job is to limit that supply and make it easier for those standing their big forwards."
Jonas and Aliir Aliir will work the key match-ups with Carlton duo Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow with support from Miles Bergman and Lachie Jones - and a team system in defence.
"They are big tests, pretty big tests," Hinkley said. "The support of the team will be a critical piece of that.
"Clearly we need to (add support to Jonas and Aliir). They are our tallest defenders and best options. But we have used Miles in that role and Lachie Jones has played well and truly above his height. We are really optimistic our athleticism is pretty important to us at the moment and that will help us.
"We know this will be a tight game. So we have to bring our absolute best."
Port Adelaide has a 21-1-14 win-draw-loss record against Carlton with six wins from the past seven meetings.
The notion Port Adelaide "needs to lose one" to be best prepared for September's top-eight finals bemuses Hinkley.
"I have never prepared to lose a game," Hinkley said. "I don't even consider that. It is not an option. I don't want to sit back reflecting on 'We need to lose that game'. I am - the club is - going into this game with the want to keep winning.
"I don't see any rules that say you have to lose ... we are not looking for anything other than our best performance."
Port Adelaide is playing Carlton under the roof at the Docklands at west Melbourne for the first time since mid-May 2016 (two-point loss in round 8 after Port Adelaide had established a game-high 18-point lead midway through the last term).
The match will begin at 4.05pm SA time with full television coverage on Channel Seven from 3.30pm and the Foxtel platforms.
