AND the winner is ... "Pistol" Pete Ladhams.

Port Adelaide will recall 19-game ruckman Ladhams - rather than promote Sam Hayes - for the top-of-the-table clash with the second-ranked Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.

Ladhams will play his first AFL match since working a tandem with lead ruckman Scott Lycett in the first four rounds of the home-and-away season.

Now the 202cm Ladhams takes charge of the ruck battery while Lycett sits out the next four games against the Western Bulldogs, Fremantle, Collingwood and Geelong to clear away his AFL tribunal suspension.

And Ladhams will need to hold up Lycett's standards while Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley shows eagerness to promote 21-year-old Hayes.

"It was a tough call, a really tough call," Hinkley said of the decision at selection.  "Both boys are in really good form. (But) Pete has played some AFL football  - and we are keen to give Sam an opportunity at the right time.

"We just felt today it was the right moment for Pete Ladhams to get another go.

"We are pretty bullish about our young players," added Hinkley of the door remaining open to Hayes while Lycett serves his suspension. "We like to play (young players) when we can. There is an opportunity over the next four or five weeks obviously - and for Sam to stay in good form (in the SANFL) and for Pete to hold up his end of the bargain.

"We would not be frightened to swap them around if we need to, but Pete is in good form."

Hinkley insisted form - more so than greater experience - gave Ladhams the nod at selection this week.

"We are talking about 19 AFL games," Hinkley said. "We are not talking about a massive difference in experience. We made a decision based on the match-ups we might get (against the Western Bulldogs) and the flexibility Ladhams could provide us if we need it."

Defender-midfielder Dan Houston will miss the Saturday night clash with his shoulder injury suffered again in last weekend's Showdown, allowing Riley Bonner to resume after recovering from a serious hamstring injury sustained in the opening round.

"It is just a rest for Dan," Hinkley said dismissing the need to have Houston consider surgery on his battered shoulder. "He needs one, maybe two. We won't force that issue until we know. But normally the injuries Dan has probably getting two weeks (off) makes it okay. I'll wait and see ...

"Dan has taken a hit on a hit. There is a point where you go this is getting a bit too much, so we will put on a brake and freshen him up and get him a bit better and physically get him ready to play because he is a real important part of our team."

Port Adelaide gets another test of how it follows up a win in the Showdown, in particular dealing with the threat of a "letdown" after the derby.

"That is AFL football - you have to be ready for it and move on," Hinkley said. "The competition demands you get ready again. We have the second side on the ladder. It is pretty easy to get yourself focussed again. 

"Showdowns are great. But you have to move on by Tuesday to the next game."

The Western Bulldogs pose a significant threat with their deep-rolling midfield - and their forward-rolling captain Marcus Bontempelli.

"We are really comfortable and confident that our best is as good as they have," Hinkley said. "We have some great quality ourselves. If we talk names for name, we have Travis Boak, Ollie Wines, Robbie Gray, Connor Rozee. We have plenty of players who can go through the midfield. Add Willem Drew.

"The Bulldogs would be looking at our midfield and having as many concerns as we have about theirs."

The Bontempelli factor is more imposing considering how he carried the Western Bulldogs to victory from a 27-point deficit at three quarter-time against Carlton at the Docklands.

"We'd like to think he does not get as dominate as he did last week," Hinkley said. "He is a great player. You just have to control them as best as you can. And hopefully we cause them as many problems when they are trying to control some of our (game breakers).

"Bontempelli is a big person to go forward. He is not just a normal midfielder who goes forward. We have plenty in defence who can handle him - Aliir Aliir, Tom Jonas, Ryan Burton. The good thing about our defence is it is quite flexible."

On the injury front, Hinkley declared midfielder Zak Butters was on a "slow build" while recovering from ankle surgery and a nerve strain to a knee.

"Zak has some restrictions with what he is able to do; he is not ready to go," Hinkley said. "He is a way from being ready to go. We will have to continually build (his recovery program)."

Port Adelaide has an extra preparation for wet weather football with the sprinklers on before training at Alberton on Thursday morning when there also was rain.

"They just managed to malfunction," Hinkley said of the sprinklers.