Port Adelaide put its high team standards first in dropping full back Alipate Carlile due to a lack of fitness, according to assistant coach Garry Hocking.

25-year-old Carlile was omitted from the team to play the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium on Sunday, after falling to meet personal physical preparation targets over the last month.

After playing in the opening 11 rounds of the AFL season, Carlile will suit up for South Adelaide against Sturt in the SANFL this weekend.

Hocking said the Power’s hard line against one of its key defenders was a clear statement about its expectations of the entire playing group.

He conceded the non-selection of Carlile threatened to impact on the Power defence, with the Bulldogs confirming 200cm Jordan Roughead would play along with fellow giants Will Minson (198cm), Ayce Cordy (203cm) and Liam Jones (197cm).

“The club’s been very disciplined and very set in its ways that the players have benchmarks to meet weekly, fortnightly, monthly,” Hocking said.

“If it was last week (against Hawthorn) the same issue would have happened. Bobby would have been back out and it would have stretched our backs.”

Hocking said Paul Stewart had shown his ability to play on a tall forward with his Round 1 effort against St Kilda’s Rhys Stanley (200cm).