NOTHING will be left to chance this Sunday as Port Adelaide seeks to snap a two-game losing streak against Richmond and maintain a foothold inside the top four.

BELLIGERENTS

PORT ADELAIDE
Year to date: WWLWWWWWWWLWLL
Last five at ground: LLLWL
Currently ranked: 3rd

RICHMOND
Year to date: LWLLWLLLWLLLLWW
Last five at ground: WWLLW
Currently ranked: 12th

HEAD TO HEAD
Power 14 v 8 Tigers (Drawn 1)

LAST FIVE
Power 2 v 2 Tigers (Drawn 1)

PLAYBILL

2014 AFL Premiership Season – Round 17
Richmond v Port Adelaide
Sunday 13 July
First bounce 1:10pm (AEST) / 12:40pm (ACST)
Hashtags: #AFLTigersPower
BROADCAST GUIDE
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YOU’RE INVITED

Official pre-game event
Bells Hotel
157 Moray Street
South Melbourne
Commences 9:30am – breakfast menu available
Selected officials in attendance
All welcome

March to Etihad Stadium
Southern Cross Station
Corner of Bourke and Spencer Street
Meet: 12:00pm at steps
March commences: 12:15pm | Arrive 12:30pm

Official post-game event
Victory Room
Level 1, Aisle 12
Etihad Stadium, Docklands
Commencing after the game
Selected players and officials in attendance
All welcome

TIME MACHINE

Round 7, 2013. Richmond dominated proceedings at AAMI Stadium to take out a comfortable 41-point win after booting an eight-goal-to-one opening quarter. Jay Schulz kicked three goals up forward while Alipate Carlile was a rock down back for the battered Power.

PORT ADELAIDE      2.1      4.5       6.10      10.13 (73)
RICHMOND            8.2      11.5      15.6      18.6 (114)

Best: Carlile, Wingard, Schulz, Boak
Goals: Schulz 3, Mitchell 2, R. Gray, Monfries, Moore, Wingard, Broadbent
at AAMI Stadium

NUMBER CRUNCH

Points For: Power 1581 v 1273 Tigers
Points Against: Power 1134 v 1291 Tigers
Kicks: Power 3205 v 2540 Tigers
Handballs: Power 2540 v 2570 Tigers
Disposals: Power 5745 v 5647 Tigers
Contested percentage: Power 37.51% v 35.22% Tigers
Marks: Power 1392 v 1376 Tigers
Clearances: Power 606 v 583 Tigers
Frees: Power 236 v 263 Tigers
Tackles: Power 1068 v 949 Tigers
Rebound 50s: Power 507 v 532 Tigers
Inside-50s: Power 862 v 736 Tigers

FOUR POINTS

Response required
The Power wanted to respond to a loss last weekend, but it wasn't to be, despite a late rally against Essendon. 

This week the Power needs to respond. 

Now sitting third on the ladder, a loss to the Tigers, indeed any loss from the remaining seven games, will loosen Port's grip on a top four spot. 

With Sydney undoubtedly playing the best football in the competition right now, and Fremantle having one of the best end-of-season fixtures, the Power simply needs to start winning again, and keep it that way. 

The Tigers are a big challenge - they pushed Sydney at the MCG two weeks ago - and their best football is capable of uprooting more fancied sides. 

Winning in the 2014 premiership season isn't a fait accompli and fresh from losses to then-bottom ten sides in the last fortnight, Port Adelaide knows that better than anyone.

Muted attack
Jay Schulz continues to lead the forwards of Port Adelaide, and the competition. 

The Coleman Medal race leader slotted three goals against Essendon last week to keep a firm foothold atop the rankings, but while he continued his good form in attack, his fellow struggled against the Bombers. 

The Power's inaccuracy put paid to its hopes of claiming an against-the-odds victory late on Saturday night, and continued a trend that started with a poor forward line return in Showdown 37. 

Schulz is in dangerous form, but when his fellow attackers - the likes of Angus Monfries, Robbie Gray, Matt White and Chad Wingard - are firing, he's even harder to match. 

Wingard and Monfries were quiet last week, so they'll be keen to bounce back on a surface they traditionally play well. 

A-Grade
Etihad Stadium suits the fast-running gameplay favoured by Port, and will be a welcome change from the sluggish, wet conditions it's dealt with at the Adelaide Oval in the past fortnight. 

But conditions mean little in the scheme of elite football - the simple fact is that Port Adelaide hasn't brought its toughest, fastest and most clinical performance to the last two games. 

It lacked in patches against the Crows and never looked its best against the Dons. 

Richmond at Etihad is a challenge that will ask much of the Power, particularly with the continued absence of Alipate Carlile and Jackson Trengove, but it will still be expected to bring a top shelf performance. 

That means a fast and consistent start to the game, good finishing in front of goals and its continually solid rebounding and running team defence. 

Port has controlled games with a deftness not seen by the club for many years when all those pieces have fallen together throughout this season, Ken Hinkley will expect it to return on Sunday.

Challenge to back up
Much was made about how Port Adelaide's defence would wilt without Carlile and Trengove providing their usual 'spine' down back. 

But against Essendon - the first big test without the important duo - the Power's defence held up with Jack Hombsch and Tom Jonas playing valuable leadership roles while Jasper Pittard and Cam O'Shea gave reliable run and rebound. 

Having survived its first test without its two key defenders, the Power now faces another stiff challenge - a Richmond attack boasting names like Riewoldt, Martin and Vickery. 

It's a big task, but one that the current lineup is up to.

Bonus point: Changing colours
Few clubs would have traded personnel as often as Port Adelaide and Richmond. 

Here's a look at the names that have crossed between the yellow and black and the Power from Port.

Coming to Alberton
Jay Schulz (arrived for 2010)
Matt White (arrived for 2014)

Going to Tigerland
Matt Thomas (last played for PA in 2013)
Troy Chaplin (last played for PA in 2012)
Damien Hardwick, coach (last played for PA in 2004)
Mark Williams, development coach (last coached PA in 2010)
Brendon Lade, assistant coach (last played for PA in 2009)

CURRENT ODDS

Power 1.53 v 2.50 Tigers