Football games are not won - nor lost - until they are played. Although teams can be said to talk themselves out of victory ...

Not Port Adelaide this week, a week that has become longer while the cursed injury list has continually grown along with the uncertainty of the venue and the timeslot for the round 18 clash with the ninth-ranked and firing St Kilda.

"We are not in any way in a doom mindset," said Port Adelaide vice-captain Ollie Wines. "We back ourselves to be a resilient group."

They will need to be. First, there were the questions left by losing to Melbourne - in a top-four battle - at Adelaide Oval last Thursday. Then the injury toll has kept mounting, notably stripping Port Adelaide of its small forwards brigade as Connor Rozee (knee, from friendly fire with Charlie Dixon), Zak Butters (right knee, after recovering from a left-knee injury) and running machine Steven Motlop (ankle) joined Orazio Fantasia (knee), Kane Farrell (knee) and Robbie Gray (knee) in the medical rooms.

Motlop becomes the 13th booking - it would be 13 - Port Adelaide has made for corrective surgery this year.

And at the close of training with the captain's run at Alberton Oval on Friday afternoon there was still no confirmation of when and where this critical finals-shaping match would be played. 

Hardly ideal ... but true to the script imposed on sport by the COVID pandemic and perfect for setting up what every television commentator likes to call "a famous victory".

Lycett and Ladhams last paired in Port Adelaide's win against Gold Coast at the Gold Coast on June 19 when they had 22 and 14 hit-outs respectively to set up an 11-7 advantage in centre clearances.

"I thought we didn't go too bad," Lycett said. "Then the coaches wanted to go with one ruck and, unfortunately, 'Pistol' went out of the team. He has definitely worked on his forward craft (since then) because that is what he has been told he needs to work on - his ability to have an impact when he is forward. 

"His ability to compete and bring the ball to ground is something we need."

Port Adelaide again will demand plenty of vice-captain Ollie Wines and former captain Travis Boak who had eight and seven clearances against St Kilda in the Anzac Day clash at Adelaide Oval, won by Port Adelaide by 54 points off a 16-6 advantage at centre clearances.

"It always is (a big job) in the midfield," notes senior coach Ken Hinkley of the challenge facing Wines and Boak against St Kilda duo Luke Dunstan and club champion Jack Steele. "We could talk about every midfield ... that is what AFL is: The best quality of footballers and they are all divided across 18 teams."

Port Adelaide this weekend will divide a major mission across 23 players. By securing the club's 12th win of the AFL home-and-away season - to give Port Adelaide qualification for its second consecutive finals series - they would prove the power of a positive attitude.

Lycett and Ladhams last paired in Port Adelaide's win against Gold Coast at the Gold Coast on June 19 when they had 22 and 14 hit-outs respectively to set up an 11-7 advantage in centre clearances.

"I thought we didn't go too bad," Lycett said. "Then the coaches wanted to go with one ruck and, unfortunately, 'Pistol' went out of the team. He has definitely worked on his forward craft (since then) because that is what he has been told he needs to work on - his ability to have an impact when he is forward. 

"His ability to compete and bring the ball to ground is something we need."

Port Adelaide again will demand plenty of vice-captain Ollie Wines and former captain Travis Boak who had eight and seven clearances against St Kilda in the Anzac Day clash at Adelaide Oval, won by Port Adelaide by 54 points off a 16-6 advantage at centre clearances.

"It always is (a big job) in the midfield," notes senior coach Ken Hinkley of the challenge facing Wines and Boak against St Kilda duo Luke Dunstan and club champion Jack Steele. "We could talk about every midfield ... that is what AFL is: The best quality of footballers and they are all divided across 18 teams."

Port Adelaide this weekend will divide a major mission across 23 players. By securing the club's 12th win of the AFL home-and-away season - to give Port Adelaide qualification for its second consecutive finals series - they would prove the power of a positive attitude.

BIRD SEED

(the little stuff that counts most)

Where: Marvel Stadium, Docklands, Melbourne

When: Saturday, July 17, 2021

Time: 1.15pm (SA time)

Last time: Port Adelaide 14.9 (93) d St Kilda 5.9 (39) at Adelaide Oval in round 6, April 25 this year 

Overall: Port Adelaide 21, St Kilda 11

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

Scoring average: Port Adelaide 88, St Kilda 81

Tightest margin - Port Adelaide by two points (63-61) at Adelaide Oval, round 19, July 29, 2017; St Kilda by four points (64-60) at York Park, Launceston, round 16, July 23, 2006.

Biggest margin - Port Adelaide by 83 points (139-56) at the Docklands, Melbourne, round 3, April 14, 2002; St Kilda by 94 points (151-57) at the Docklands, Melbourne, round 19, August 8, 2010.

By venues - Adelaide Oval (Port Adelaide 6-1); Football Park (8-3); Docklands (3-3); Waverley Park (0-3); York Park (3-1); Jiangwan Stadium (1-0).

By States - South Australia (14-4); Victoria (3-6); Tasmania (3-1); China (1-0).