THERE'S still no guarantee Port Adelaide ruckman Matthew Lobbe will return to the side for Saturday's crucial game against North Melbourne.
The Power remain winless in 2015 after being outclassed in close and defensively by the Sydney Swans last weekend in a 48-point defeat.
Lobbe has missed the Power's losses to Fremantle and the Swans with a strained quad, and the side has clearly lacked his expertise in the ruck.
Port was hammered 57-30 by the Swans in hit-outs last weekend, a week after Fremantle dominated the same category 51-25.
Lobbe trained on Wednesday, but Power midfielder Brad Ebert said he was still unsure whether the ruckman would play on Saturday night.
"The way he's looking at the moment around the club and the way he's moving, I think he's hopefully progressing well," Ebert said.
"Hopefully that means he should be OK to go, but in saying that, quads are a tricky sort of [injury] and I guess it'll just be touch and go. We'll wait and see [on] Friday to find out if he's playing or not.
"Once we get him working with 'Paddy' (Ryder) I think it's a really strong combination and whilst 'Reddo' (Jarrad Redden) came in and competed hard on the weekend, he hasn't played in two years.
"Once you get a guy like Matty Lobbe back it'll be very handy for the side."
Power leadership group member Tom Jonas questioned the side's work rate on Monday, but denied there was anything wrong with the club's game plan. Ahead of his 150th game against the Kangaroos, vice-captain Ebert echoed Jonas' thoughts, insisting the side was guilty of poor execution.
Ebert said coach Ken Hinkley was urging players to keep the faith and confidence.
"The things that we've put in place over the last few years seem to have worked pretty well for us; I think it's just about going back to that and continuing to improve on that," Ebert said.
"So far we've probably been a bit slow to move it and a little bit slow to react.
"[Hinkley's] been quite hard in the way that he reviews the games which is fair enough – he just knows that we'll bounce back and that's the way he's talking.
"He's confident in the way we can play … there's nothing really to get too worried about yet."
Jarman Impey was restricted to walking laps at Alberton on Wednesday and won't play against the Kangaroos.
Cam O'Shea has replaced Impey in the past so would be an obvious inclusion, although AFL-hardened Andrew Moore, Aaron Young and Kane Mitchell are also available. Rookie defender Nathan Krakouer would need to be elevated onto the senior list before playing.
