PORT Adelaide coach Matthew Primus insists he hasn't made decisions on the future of any struggling players at the club, and has challenged all of his charges to "show what they can do" in the remaining three months of the season.
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The Power have adopted a rebuilding approach under Primus, blooding five debutants and giving inexperienced players, including Hamish Hartlett and Matthew Broadbent significant roles in the team this season.
The first-year coach has also maintained a strong stance at selection, sending experienced players Chad and Kane Cornes, Danyle Pearce, Brett Ebert, Steven Salopek and Jacob Surjan back to the SANFL.
Pearce, Surjan and Kane Cornes have worked their way back into the team, but Ebert, Salopek and veteran Chad Cornes all remain in the local league.
Ebert, 27, has struggled to find consistency following LARS surgery on his knee in late last year, and is out of contract at the end of the season.
Salopek, 25, re-signed with the club last season, but has managed only five games in 2011.
Primus' unwavering approach to building a team capable of delivering the club its next premiership has prompted suggestions he'll make drastic changes to the list at the end of this season.
On Friday, Primus said he'd sat down with each of his players prior to the bye last weekend and given them goals for the latter-half of the season.
"Nobody has really been told they are playing for their future, but we are looking at what they can do in the next 11 weeks with us or in the SANFL ... and certain players are under a bit more pressure than others," he said.
"Some will be getting a contract next year. Some will be improving what they have done this year and others will be trying to experiment in different roles.
"Everyone took it on board pretty well and were really good with it. They will work at it pretty diligently because they all want to keep their AFL careers going and want to play here.
"We want to give people opportunities to show what they can do...but we'll be looking closely at what certain players can do over the next 11 weeks and the closer it gets to the end of the season, the closer we get to making our minds up."
Ebert was included in a 25-man squad to play West Coast at Patersons Stadium on Sunday, but didn't board the chartered flight to Perth with the team on Friday.
Small forward Jason Davenport also remained in Adelaide, but ruckman/forward Daniel Stewart made the trip and could be recalled to the team if Justin Westhoff fails to overcome a foot complaint.
First-year defender Ben Jacobs, who was ill earlier in the week, is also under a cloud but is likely to play.
Defender Jackson Trengove and either Westhoff or Stewart will be required to lend support to preferred ruckman Dean Brogan in his battle with in-form Eagles duo Dean Cox and Nic Naitanui on Sunday.
"We need to nullify Cox and Naitanui as good as we can to give our onballers half a chance of getting the ball our way," Primus said.
"You just have to compete strongly against them. I thought Broges, Trengove and Westhoff did it pretty well in round two against them and I have got full confidence that they will be able to do it again this week.
"It's a difficult thing to do but you have just got to compete and make it a real physical contest against both of them."
The Power will train in Perth on Friday afternoon after being forced to travel a day earlier than expected because of concerns over the lingering ash cloud from the volcanic eruption in Chile.
Katrina Gill covers Port Adelaide news for afl.com.au. Follow her on Twitter: @AFL_KatrinaGill
