KEN Hinkley knows the emotional power of milestones with AFL teams, as he witnessed a fortnight ago when his Port Adelaide players honoured club great Robbie Gray in his 250th AFL game.

This weekend, the wave rides against Port Adelaide at the Docklands on Saturday night with Hawthorn champion - and Port Adelaide premiership hero - Shaun Burgoyne in his 400th AFL game.

For Port Adelaide, the significant occasion - just the fifth time a VFL-AFL player has reached this milestone - is to be blocked out, in the same way Hinkley and his extended team have ignored the distractions of an AFL-enforced early and rushed trip to Melbourne on Wednesday evening. 

Hinkley describes the rundown to round 16 as "quite normal ... what we're used to".

"We react quickly at any moment," said Hinkley before the captain's run training session that was on Punt Road at Richmond on Friday afternoon.

"This week was another one of those moments from the past 18 months (during the COVID pandemic) where we react quickly. You are always prepared for an unexpected emergency."

Port Adelaide's reactions to the Burgoyne festival while playing 17th-ranked Hawthorn will be checked to ensure a "quite normal" AFL encounter.

"There is no doubt (Burgoyne's 400th) will be a massive factor in Hawthorn's preparation. It can't be in ours," Hinkley said.

"It can't be part of our factoring at all ... 

"We just need to go out there (ignoring the occasion) - and with the greatest respect to Shaun who has been a champion of our club as well and a premiership player - the time for congratulations and acknowledging what Shaun has done is once the game is done and won by us.

"We want to be a bit of a party pooper for Shaun and the Hawks in this game because we need to be," added Hinkley of the Port Adelaide challenge to hold a top-four ranking at the end of the round.

"Shaun is an absolute champ of the game - and just a fantastic person. We just wish him all the best in the game and all the rest of the year. But we don't want him to win (Saturday night)."

Port Adelaide made two changes at selection - recalling defender-midfielder Riley Bonner and upgraded Sam Mayes from the medical substitute chair - after reassuring training runs by key defender Trent McKenzie (SC joint) and midfielder-forward Connor Rozee (knee).

"They are fine to go," Hinkley said of McKenzie and Rozee who passed fitness tests at Tullamarine in Melbourne on Thursday afternoon.

"Trent obviously took a big hit on his shoulder (in a last-quarter collision with Sydney forward Will Hayward). He has got through the week really well and he is more than capable and ready to play.

"Connor the same with his knee (that was hit by a Sydney opponent during a smother before half-time). He played the second half. We were a little bit cautious after the game, but optimistic early in the week with the way he was responding."

Mayes replaced McKenzie midway through the last term and became the hero of the 10-point win with the goal that restored Port Adelaide's lead with four minutes to play.

"He has been as consistent as any player in SANFL level and good on him last week when (after leaving the SANFL match against North Adelaide at Prospect Oval) he came in and had an impact for us," Hinkley said of the versatile Mayes. "He deserves his opportunity.

"We have had some challenges (by injury) to personnel and Sam has been able to come in and play a number of positions when we have needed him.

"Their form," added Hinkley of Mayes and Bonner (who returns after two-games in the SANFL) is at a level that we think can help us and they bring something to our game that we need. Both have stuff that will make us better - and that is the over-riding factor; an opportunity for us to be stronger."

Selection has cost last week's debutant Dylan Williams a follow-up match this weekend along with the original medical substitute, half-back Martin Frederick.

"It was a great opportunity for Dyl last week to get a taste of AFL football - and one of the things we wanted from him was to understand the physical challenges of playing AFL," Hinkley said of the 2019 draftee (No.23). "It was a tough day for him. A hard day with (Sydney co-captain and All-Australian defender) Dane Rampe as a pretty big match-up for him.

"But every opportunity he now gets, I'd like to see his progression from the SANFL where he will have to work a little harder for longer and not play just a deep forward role. That is his challenge to grow his game because it is harder to consistently play the role he has had at SANFL level in the AFL."

The match starts at 7.10pm Saturday.