PORT ADELAIDE ruckman Brendon Lade has no doubt whereSaturday's crunch AFL match against the Western Bulldogs will be won.

"The key to every game now is midfield turnovers,"Lade said.

"The game has changed again within the last year and ahalf to be a midfield turnover game.

"If you can't kick the ball through the middle of theground and the other team can, it goes a long way to you winning or losing thegame.

"It will definitely come down to the midfield turnoversfrom both teams."

The sixth-placed Power are perched above the ninth-placedBulldogs courtesy of one extra win this season, making the Telstra Dome fixturecrucial for both clubs.

Lade declared the encounter a virtual "eight-pointgame", and offered his club a chance to scoot eight premiership pointsahead with a win against a rival for a finals berth.

"It is pretty important to get a bit of a gap betweenthe teams behind you and try and get a couple of (premiership) points infront," the All-Australian ruckman said.

The Power have lost speedster Danyle Pearce (appendix) forthe clash against opponents who are also young and quick.

"They are an interesting team - very fast and veryskilful, especially playing at Telstra Dome. They have played very wellthere," Lade said of the Bulldogs.

"We are going to have our work cut out but in sayingthat, we probably think we're a fast, young and exciting team as well, and weprobably play pretty similar styles."

Lade intimated Port could follow the Kangaroos' lead and tryand exploit the Bulldogs' height-challenged defence.

Last weekend, the Kangaroos' tall forwards set thefoundation for a victory by eclipsing the Dogs' smaller defenders, particularlyDrew Petrie, who kicked seven goals for the winners.

"Every team has tried to do it," Lade said of thetactic.

"You saw Petrie kick seven goals in a half on theweekend. Maybe we will look at someone tall up there and see how it goes."

Port, however, has lost one of their options to stretch theDogs' defence with tall forward Damon White having surgery on Tuesday on adamaged left kneecap, an injury that will sideline him for a month.