ROUND 15. In racing parlance, the home turn looms along with the critical final stretch to end the marathon 22-round run to September's top-eight finals.

It is time to find position in the 18-team field ... and build form (and credibility) as a finals contender and then a premiership challenger.

This weekend, Port Adelaide jostles for position and status with one of the league's most-competitive clubs, Sydney - fifth versus sixth. Here is the classic contest for the pundits to determine whether Port Adelaide is a top-four side and if Sydney, one of the surprise packets of the season, can hold a top-eight ranking (and avoid missing finals for the third consecutive season, unknown for Sydney since the early 1990s).

So far, the form guide reads - Port Adelaide can be completely trusted against those at the back of the field; it has a perfect 8-0 win-loss count against bottom-10 teams.

Port Adelaide is 1-1 (win against AFL premier Richmond and loss to West Coast) among those rivals in the lower half of the top eight. And now comes the third test - against a Sydney team noted for emphasising scoring this season. 

By comparison to 2019 (the previous season with 20-minute quarters), Sydney is almost delivering two more goals per match (averaging 86 points compared with 78 in 2019). Sydney's new-found attacking game is highlighted with an average count of 54.7 inside-50s, compared with the attacking-minded Port Adelaide's 54.2.

Scoring against Sydney remains as challenging as ever. 

With this in mind - and denied by knee injuries to both Robbie Gray and Orazio Fantasia, two experienced forwards who would have craved the opportunities at ground level - Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has re-established his three-man triangle with Charlie Dixon, Todd Marshall (returning from concussion) and Mitch Georgiades and backed teenager Dylan Williams for his AFL debut after a six-goal haul in the SANFL on Sunday.

This puts the majority of the ruck burden on Scott Lycett with back-up from Dixon and Marshall.

"We like 'Dicko' when he is around the ball too," says Lycett of the anticipation created when the eager Dixon takes to ruck duties, particularly in the centre circle.

Sydney's attack has the grand focal point of Lance Franklin. His record against Port Adelaide - as a Hawthorn and Sydney rival since 2005 - is 56.37 in 17 matches (9-8 win-loss).

And this time there is one of Franklin's former Sydney team-mates, Aliir Aliir, getting in the way with intercept marks.

"Aliir had some great times at the Sydney Football Club," said Hinkley of the 26-year-old defender who was traded to Port Adelaide in November after 64 games in seven seasons with Sydney. "He has a new team now and a new club that really love him and he is playing some outstanding football.

"It has been a win for us and, hopefully for us, is will be a consistent win for a long time."

Port Adelaide-Sydney games have turned since 2017. Port Adelaide has won four in a row after losing five consecutive matches and 13 of 14 between 2006 and 2016.

"It probably is an indication of where the teams have been," says Hinkley of the paths Port Adelaide and Sydney have taken to this finals-shaping clash. "We have been a little bit ahead of Sydney with our transition as a football team and they are quickly catching up to everyone. They are one of the exciting, emerging young teams."

For the change in faces in both line-ups, one theme remains with Sydney and as a challenge to Port Adelaide - solid, one-on-one contests with no comprising at stoppages and in movement to open space.

The season statistics emphasise Sydney still has tackling in its DNA (65.3 average compared with Port Adelaide's 58.4). The "barometer" figures would suggest the teams are twins - contested ball (Port Adelaide, 141.9; Sydney, 140.4). There is not much difference in clearances either - Sydney, 36.3; Port Adelaide, 35.1; (12.5 v 12.7 at centre clearances).

But the more meaningful figure is in the match-day differential.

In the teams’ last meeting, Port Adelaide won the contested barometer by 23 and the match by 26 points. In 2019, it was plus five on the barometer and 47 on the scoreboard (where Sydney was wasteful with 7.14). In 2018, the barometer favoured Port Adelaide by nine and the scoreboard by 23.

So a little more is to be learned of Port Adelaide in this match. 

The race to September is approaching the final stretch. July is always a defining month in the AFL. To borrow from the sport of kings again, the whips start cracking ...

And Hinkley wants to be primed at the right time because: "I still believe we're capable - more than capable - of beating the top teams."

This match will be about building on that belief.

The game begins at 4.05pm rather than 7.10 as originally scheduled..

BIRD SEED

(the little stuff that counts most)

Where: Adelaide Oval

When: Saturday, June 26, 2021

Time: 4.05pm (SA time) 

Last time: Port Adelaide 11.7 (73) d Sydney 7.5 (47) at Adelaide Oval in round 14, August 29 last year. 

Overall: Port Adelaide 11, Sydney 20.

Past five games (most recent first): W W W W L 

Scoring average: Port Adelaide 80, Sydney 91.

Tightest winning margin - Port Adelaide by two points (94-92) at the SCG in round 15, July 14, 2002; Sydney by four points (98-94) at the SCG in round 13, June 14, 2014.

Biggest winning margin - Port Adelaide by 72 points (132-60) at Football Park in round 12, June 13, 2004; Sydney by 67 points (100-33) at the SCG in round 20, August 6, 2016. 

By venues - Adelaide Oval (2-2), Football Park (4-7), SCG (5-11).

By States - South Australia (6-9), New South Wales (5-11).