PORT ADELAIDE is building momentum again - eyeing three consecutive wins and the chance to level the ledger at 7-7. And the telling factor in the form change since the mid-season break is confidence - and the resulting rise in energy - in the pre-game work from the player squad.

"Confidence grows ... and it grows quite quickly," notes Port Adelaide senior coach Ken Hinkley of the attitude and mood change at Alberton since the mid-season break.

"It dropped away before the bye. But it can come back pretty quick. And you get certain things in your game that tell you, 'That's us'. When we play like that, we are a really hard team to beat. 

"Our players have a little bit of that in them at the moment. We have a bit more confidence. And when you have confidence in your group, you can be hard to stop."

The next challenge is Sydney at Adelaide Oval on Saturday afternoon.

LEADERSHIP: Hinkley praised his team leaders for driving a positive theme for the return after the mid-season break.

"Connor Rozee, Zak Butters, Willem Drew, Sam Powell-Pepper and Miles Bergman - they have been the people who have kept their belief and kept their confidence," Hinkley said.

"We have had a level of training I have been really impressed with. 

"That is pretty important leadership. We were at a point of the year when things can drop pretty quickly ... or it could bounce. Our group decided we are still in this and we want to have a real crack at it."

MEDICAL ROOM: Port Adelaide's revolving door to the rehab room at Alberton continues to swing hard. It will claim Brownlow Medallist midfielder Ollie Wines (knee) this week, but not yet fellow midfielder Jason Horne-Francis (shoulder) or defender Aliir Aliir (knee). And it might release Lachie Jones (hamstring).

"We won't take unnecessary risks with anyone," Hinkley said before testing his troops at training.

"We are optimistic ..."

Wines is still a chance to resume against Carlton in the Thursday night game next week that ends a three-game stand at Adelaide Oval.

"We are hopeful it is quite short term," Hinkley said. "We need to let (the knee) settle this week. I would not say he is no chance for next week. Less likely than likely, at this stage."

RUCK THEME: After choosing to return to a two-ruck model to deal with Melbourne captain Max Gawn, the Jordon Sweet-Dante Visentini partnership is likely to remain.

"Sydney has Brodie Grundy," Hinkley noted. "We think (two rucks) worked reasonably well for us and we would be optimistic going there again this week."

OPPO WATCH: Sydney is expecting to gain Errol Gulden and Tom Papley from injury and Joel Amartey from suspension.

"It significantly changes their side," Hinkley said. "They are great players. When you get top-end players back it is significant.

"Injuries are important to (determining) team success. I am sure Sydney is happy to have them back ... we are not as happy."

THE NUMBERS: Port Adelaide this season is noted for using more handball, - sometimes too much handball.

"We had a little less handball (against Melbourne on Sunday) and we gained the second-most handball metres for the year," Hinkley said. "We had the second most marks for the year. We had to get the balance right. We were much, much better at that last week."

ESAVA RISE: Key defender Esava Ratugolea has been a significant part of Port Adelaide's form change during the past two weeks.

"Esava is in his second year with us (after leaving Geelong) and it is just looking like he is starting to gain the confidence and belief in himself that he needs," Hinkley said. "That has transferred into good form this year. He has been really solid for us all year. He would be in our best five to six players for the whole season."

AGAIN: Mid-season rookie draftee Mani Liddy made his AFL debut count last week. "I liked what Mani brought to our game," Hinkley said. "I thought he showed he had AFL traits that will hold him in good stead. He can look forward to playing another game."

Port Adelaide earlier this season, on April 20, beat Sydney at the SCG by eight points. This is the first of Port Adelaide's double-up games this year that include the derby and matches against Geelong, Fremantle, Hawthorn and Carlton (of which Port Adelaide has not yet played once this season).

This will be the fourth Port Adelaide-Sydney game in 10 months with the results at extremes from the 112-point win at Adelaide Oval on August 3 to the recent eight-point win. In between there is the 36-point loss in the preliminary final at the SCG.

"Teams are significantly different, there are challenges with form," says Hinkley of how a past game does not always reflect what will happen in this Port Adelaide-Sydney encounter.

"We reflect on match-ups and bits and pieces but (past games) has nothing to do with how you approach the way you play. Sydney and us have a history of being in pretty good games more often than not. We expect nothing less."