PORT Adelaide's white-hot SANFL form is being felt by the club's AFL side, with strong performances from the Magpies creating competition for spots higher up.

Since all non-selected Power players were granted permission to play for the Magpies ahead of this year, the team has proved almost unbeatable.

It lost to reigning premiers Norwood in round one, but has hardly been challenged since and sits atop the SANFL ladder.

Last weekend, the Magpies thrashed then second-placed South Adelaide by 10 goals.

Superb SANFL form has already seen Kane Mitchell and Ben Newton earn AFL call-ups this season, while the likes of Andrew Moore, Sam Gray, Tom Logan, Paul Stewart and Jake Neade have also pushed their cases.

Defender Alipate Carlile says the competition for spots in the senior team is healthy.

"We just feel the pressure that they're putting on us in the 'ones' to get a game and our spot," he said.

"It's great for the club, the positions we're both in, and we're really looking forward to the rest of the season."

Despite heading into Saturday night's meeting with Hawthorn as clear favourites, Carlile hopes that pressure can help Port continue its stunning start to 2014.

The Hawks will enter the contest as underdogs with the bookmakers for the first time since round four, 2012, having been decimated by injuries to star players.

Defenders Josh Gibson (pectoral muscle), Brian Lake (calf) and Sam Mitchell will all miss, as will as forwards Cyril Rioli (hamstring) and Jarryd Roughead (suspension).

With no Roughead and with Lance Fanklin now playing for the Sydney Swans, Carlile said he expected to match up on either David Hale or Ben McEvoy, depending on who rested up forward.

But he reiterated his captain Travis Boak's sentiment that there was no way the injury-ravaged Hawks would swoop under the Power's radar.

"They're still a massive force in the competition; everyone respects what they've done over the past few years and they're still up there as premiership favourites," he said.

"We're not going to take any game lightly this season.

"No matter who they put on the park – they could bring in anyone – their list is that deep that they could bring in some superstars."

The clash between the competition's top two sides has understandably attracted plenty of attention, with the AFL announcing that all public tickets for the Saturday night fixture at Adelaide Oval have sold out.

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