CAN one result define an AFL home-and-away season? Port Adelaide again faces Carlton on the big stage of a stand-alone, prime-time match, this time a Friday night at the Docklands in Melbourne.
The critics will again judge Port Adelaide on the result of a duel against a top-four contender - and senior coach Ken Hinkley accepts "we will need to be playing at our absolute best".
"This game gives us a chance to improve our position," said Hinkley while warning against drawing the conclusion one result tells all in a competition designed to promote evenness among 18 elite teams.
"We did beat the Western Bulldogs (in round 18); everyone is talking of the Bulldogs as a really good team which they are when they play at their best.
"And we can be that really good team ourselves when we play at our best."
Port Adelaide will name its match squad - the game 23 and emergencies - on Thursday evening with key forward Todd Marshall still on the sidelines with a hip injury.
"Todd is nearly ready," said Hinkley of Marshall, who was injured in a collision with team-mate Charlie Dixon in the match against Gold Coast a fortnight ago. "He will definitely play next week, all things being equal. But with the short break, we just ran out of time."
Marshall's absence leaves the match committee to reflect on whether it can again combine Dixon and Ollie Lord in attack after substituting Lord during the 41-point win against Richmond at home on Saturday.
Hinkley has predicted "a couple of players" will resume with Lachie Jones (concussion protocols) and Kane Farrell (hamstring) expected to come off the injury list.
Port Adelaide worked a three-quarter tussle with Carlton before being blitzed by an eight-goal last term in the clubs' last meeting, at the end of May at Adelaide Oval.
Port Adelaide this time works with Jordon Sweet as lead ruck rather than the injured Ivan Soldo. Carlton also has a change in ruck with the loss of the in-form Tom De Koning opening the door for Marc Pittonet.
"Another good ruckman comes in ... they probably don't lose too much," Hinkley said.
WILLEM DREW: Lingering from the 36-point loss to Carlton at Adelaide Oval is how the Port Adelaide midfield was worked over by Brownlow Medallist Patrick Cripps and his fellow on-ballers.
Does Drew's 100-game milestone match become a duel with Cripps or Sam Walsh?
"Don't assume anything this week," warned Hinkley.
Of Drew's homework this week, Hinkley said: "He (also) knows a lot about Cerra, Hollands, Saad. He knows a lot about Carlton."
Drew's milestone has brought grand appreciation of his work in the Port Adelaide midfield after a tough start by injury to his AFL career.
"It is difficult to summarise Willem Drew because he is such a team-first player," Hinkley said. "He does everything. He would be very close to our most-popular team-mate. There is a lot to be said about being that person. If you are recognised as that person in the group, you should be really proud.
"He is an amazing player for us. Playing his 100th game is a great effort with what he has gone through at the start. I could not be more proud. He isn’t just the playing group's favourite, he is the coaching group's favourite. We love him."
OPPO WATCH: Port Adelaide is seeking to break a three-game losing streak against Carlton, after having won six in-a-row from 2017-2021.
The most recent win at the Docklands against Carlton was in 2014. This is the third encounter of the clubs at the enclosed arena in Melbourne since Port Adelaide won that 2014 clash by 33 points.
"We face a great side sitting second on the ladder," Hinkley said of the Michael Voss-coached Carlton. "It will be a great challenge for us - one we are up for; one we are capable of getting done - but we will need to be playing at our absolute best. We are playing a really strong side.
"(Last time) for three quarters it was a pretty even game. That tells us we are capable of being right with Carlton and potentially beating Carlton. But last time we played a really poor last quarter around stoppage - and they dominated us. Cripps went to work and he has done that a fair few times this year.
"Our challenge is to keep the game closer to our terms for four quarters and not just three."
MIDFIELD BATTLE: Still ringing in the ears of the Port Adelaide midfielders is the challenge put to them by Hinkley at half-time on Saturday. The message from that feedback lingers.
"You need a small advantage; you can't just break even with Carlton in the midfield where they have so much power around the ball," Hinkley said. "Our midfield group is important to our success. If they can play well, that would go a long way towards us winning this game."
The other key note from the Richmond win is the need for the midfield to cover the space behind them when Port Adelaide is forced to defend the ball.
"They accept they have a responsibility to run both ways," Hinkley said. "We expect that. They all know that. They all accept that. They took on that challenge."
ZAK BUTTERS: Port Adelaide vice-captain Zak Butters this week became the most-fined player in AFL history with his bill from league headquarters tipping over $35,000 with another two fines.
"Zak Butters will save Zak Butters from going broke," Hinkley said. "I am running out of words (in counselling Butters). Zak knows what he has to do. He is competitive. I love that about him. And he is working really hard at this. He was a touch stiff this week but maybe that is a result of what has been going on."
ESAVA RATUGOLEA: After a week of critical assessment of the key defender's turnovers against Richmond, Hinkley is holding full confidence in Esava Ratugolea.
"Perfection is hard to achieve," Hinkley said. "Esava knows he is working really hard and he is learning lots as he goes, but perfection is hard to achieve particularly when mistakes stand out while you are on the last line of defence. He is doing a really good job. He is working really hard to get better."
