THIRD game, third AFL debutant. Joe Berry. Christian Moreas. Now, Tom Cochrane gets his start in the big league in Port Adelaide's away clash with Essendon at the Docklands in Melbourne on Thursday night.

As Port Adelaide's match committee works through diverse options - even the two-ruck model again - and a long injury list, the confirmation of the father-son recruit is a lock after Cochrane's strong goalscoring output in SANFL trials.

Cochrane, 19, follows his father Stuart into Port Adelaide colours after carrying the burdens of Tourette's syndrome, diagnosed a decade ago.

"It is a great story for us as a football club, a great story for AFL football - and not just because he follows Stuart considering everything he meant to us a player (in 54 AFL games) and as a staff member," Port Adelaide senior coach Ken Hinkley said at Alberton on Wednesday morning.

"I am so proud of him," Hinkley said of Cochrane's winning the battle with his personal challenges. "And I am proud of his family. He has taken on his challenges and fitted into an AFL environment in a short period of time. Now he is going to play his first AFL game ... it is such a good story."

Cochrane rises from the rookie list "after playing really well in two trial games in the SANFL," added Hinkley. "He has kicked seven (goals) ... and they do show you every time that young people that they can bring great energy to the team. We saw that last week with Christian (Moreas). It is exciting."

WHO ELSE? With a short turnaround from the home win against Richmond on Saturday and more pain on the injury list, Hinkley is reserving all options at selection.

Does this put the two-ruck pairing of Ivan Soldo and Jordon Sweet back on the agenda for the first time since the pre-season closer against St Kilda in Melbourne?

"We know how (two rucks) can work for us," Hinkley said. "But what does it do to the balance of our team. We look at how we want to play with ball movement and what the extra tall does to that. 

"Equally important is what defensive pressure you are able to get ... they are all the things we have to consider."

PLAYBOOK: Port Adelaide has been forced to work to challenging scripts while losing more and more talls - Gold Coast recruit Jack Lukosius this week becoming the sixth player to have surgery after a collision injury of a fractured kneecap.

The emphasis on speed in ball movement while relying on more and more smaller players is revealing the creative themes at Port Adelaide to keep the team competitive.

"We as a coaching group will always look for opportunities to improve the team," Hinkley said. "Or we will look to expose something in the opposition. We will always be prepared to be creative and that will be no different for the remainder of this season. AFL football demands you keep looking for what you need to get a win."

RIOLI ON THE RUN: That creative theme has specialist forward Willie Rioli now testing opposition scouts after he was placed in the midfield rotations against Richmond.

"He could be on the wing this week," Hinkley said of Rioli's flexibility. "He might play at half-back. Hopefully he will spend the majority of time at the front end of the ground putting on pressure and creating opportunities for us to score."

OPPO WATCH: Essendon is coming off a 10-goal loss and intense scrutiny of its defensive methods. The competition already has developed a sequence of teams - even Port Adelaide after the opening loss to Collingwood - being hot when challenged to respond.

"The demands are on us to turn up and be ready to go again," Hinkley said. "We are ready to take on the challenge.

"We have looked at the bigger picture rather than just one game with Essendon. And they have still been able to do some very good stuff. I have seen them play some good footy this year. Even last week they still scored 100 points. They are a very capable team. 

"Our challenge is to expect Essendon at their absolute best. We will be ready for their absolute best."

BOAK 394: After rewriting the club's all-time games record at 393 matches last week, former captain Travis Boak was absent from training.

"He is playing," Hinkley said. "He had a bit of a sniffle yesterday. We kept him away to make sure he is okay."

The notion of "managing" veterans is now a tougher task with a demanding injury list.

"It would be nice if we could contemplate that," Hinkley said. "But we have had our fair run of injuries ...  "

SMOOTH BUTTERS: Vice-captain Zak Butters is progressing with greater optimism on the training track as he rehabilitates after knee surgery.

"Zak is looking slightly ahead of schedule," revealed Hinkley. "But I don't want to jinx it. He is going along pretty well. He will be pushing in the next two weeks."

Hinkley also expects Lukosius to return to AFL action this season.

"It is too early to give a timeline on his return," Hinkley said. "It will be a significant period of time that he misses, but I would be staggered if he did play football again this year."

LORD RETURNS: Key forward Ollie Lord is approaching his return to AFL action even though he is sidelined this week with a shoulder injury taken out of an SANFL trial.

"We need him," Hinkley said. "Pre-season has not been perfect for us and Ollie has had to do some different roles for us. He would have been very, very close to being picked this week."