WIN, lose or draw, there will be a conclusion on Port Adelaide at the end of Thursday night's top-four defining clash with perennial AFL finalist Geelong at Adelaide Oval.
But Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley says one night in June does not dictate the outcome to the last Saturday in September.
"I absolutely don't (see this game as the ultimate litmus test of Port Adelaide)," Hinkley said. "It is part of the qualifying season. It is part of what we need to do.
"We want to win. It is a massive game. We want to beat Geelong as much as Geelong want to beat us. But in the bigger picture, every week is a big game; every game is a big moment; every opportunity in the 22 qualifying rounds is a big moment.
"You need to get as many as you can right. And at the end of 22 rounds there will be the answer as to whether you have done enough to get in a position to qualify for (top-eight) finals and how high up in the finals you can play.
"So I don't separate the importance of any game. I find every game incredibly important."
The point is made by Port Adelaide last season losing by 60 points to Geelong in the home-and-away series, but avenging this loss in a home qualifying final at Adelaide Oval in October.
But the race to September is also built on judging pacesetters.
"It gives us information that we can deal with," says Hinkley of the relevance of this Thursday Night Football blockbuster between third-ranked Geelong and fifth-placed Port Adelaide.
"Factual information ... We will know if we still have to get better or ...
"Whichever team wins (on Thursday night) won't go, 'We are way better off than we were for September' when we haven't even got there yet. It is not on our radar. (The result) gives you information.
"The information I get regularly is we are doing some things right but we are not doing everything perfect at the moment. So we have room to grow. And I would think every team in the competition, regardless of where they are positioned, would be saying they have do to something extra."
At selection, there will be one change to cover the loss of leading goal kicker Orazio Fantasia (knee surgery). Miles Bergman will come off the medical substitute seat and hand that role to half-forward Boyd Woodcock.
This allows Port Adelaide to work Bergman as a midfielder and half-back and open critical shuffles between half-back to half-forward with Dan Houston and Kane Farrell.
"We will adjust what we need to and play what we want to play," Hinkley said. "The obvious one to bring in is Boyd Woodcock.
"Miles has been an exciting young player. He has done some really good jobs. He has played pretty consistently. He has played a lot of footy already ... and we just want to see his continued growth.
"Miles has great flexibility. He was drafted (No.14, 2019 national as Port Adelaide's first pick) as a high forward. He has played as a high back for us. He also has played on the wing.
"We are pretty flexible (on filling Fantasia's half-forward role). We trained that all through the summer. You would have heard me talk a lot of how we wanted players with dual roles.
"We think anyone can go into different spots on the ground."
Port Adelaide has endured epic tests against Geelong in recent seasons, particularly in ensuring it does not lose control of the ball to a hardened unit.
"They have been a great team for a long time," Hinkley said. "They always are there. They are one of the clubs everyone admires."
Geelong strengthened its forward options for this season by recruiting key forward Jeremy Cameron from Greater Western Sydney. Port Adelaide boosted its defensive stocks by claiming tall defender Aliir Aliir from Sydney.
"We brought Aliir in who has made a difference and we have lost Tom Clurey (broken jaw)," Hinkley noted. "We are where we have been ...
"We have (first-year half-back) Lachie Jones and we have not had (vice-captain) Hamish Hartlett in the team. There are always pluses and minuses .. but I think we are ready and we are capable. The Geelong forwards will know they have played on good players.
"The numbers would suggest we are defending pretty well," added Hinkley of a defensive unit that had conceded a record-low AFL average for Port Adelaide. "As a footy team we are not perfect by any means and we'd like to get better. But back-line defence or team defence is all based around everyone being involved together. That's when you do it absolutely better and, for us, we still have some room to move."
Port Adelaide will enter a two-day quarantine after playing Geelong to meet protocol orders from SA Health.
"We have dealt with difficulties and differences (to normal routines) for 18 months," Hinkley said of the demands of the COVID protocols. "We are more than happy to abide by (the protocols) and do whatever to make sure the game continues.
"We appreciate what everyone is doing to make sure the season continues. Geelong, we appreciate what they are doing (with pre-game lockdown protocols) ... all those things are all a little bit challenging, but they are not that big when we consider how it keeps the game going and it keeps everyone involved in the game and it keeps the community happy to watch footy still."
