PORT ADELAIDE'S restocked player list is giving senior coach Ken Hinkley one powerful demand at selection - top form.
"When we get a fit and healthy squad, you have to play at a really high level to maintain your position in the side," is Hinkley keynote remark this week while Port Adelaide carries its shortest injury list in months.
Midfielder-forward Sam Powell-Pepper falls out of the 23 to face Carlton at Adelaide Oval on Saturday, just as key forward Todd Marshall did last week at selection for Showdown L.
Powell-Pepper will miss his first AfL game since his return to the big league in Round 7 and will chase better form in the SANFL this weekend.
"Sam's form hasn't been at the level - in his own mind - that he would be satisfied with," Hinkley said at Adelaide Oval on Friday before the captain's run training session. "He just has not been able to influence the game like he normally would. Sam's greatest asset to us is his ability to hunt and get after the opposition - and put an enormous amount of physical and implied pressure on the opposition.
"He hasn't been able to get that job at the level he would like it to be - and we would like it to be. It is not something we do lightly to put Sam out of the side. He is a very valuable part of our team.
"But you need to play at your best form (to command selection)."
Port Adelaide recalls defender Tom Clurey, with strong SANFL form, to cover the "safety first" ploy with full back Trent McKenzie who has hamstring tightness.
"We won't take any unnecessary risk at this stage of the year," Hinkley said. "We don't want that to turn into a three or four-week situation. We want to avoid that.
"Early in the week he pulled up a little bit ginger after the (derby). He got through the whole game. But he felt tight (in the hamstrings) - and every time we talk about hamstring tightness it ends up being more ... and Trent has history with soft-tissue.
"We are very mindful of that. He trained pretty well (on Thursday) getting through most of the session, but in the conversation I had with him, he just didn't quite feel like he could push it and risk it."
Port Adelaide has recalled Clurey and Marshall, the latter giving Hinkley the four-tall forward model with Charlie Dixon, Mitch Georgiades and ruckman Peter Ladhams.
The temptation to ease the workload on Dixon - a fortnight before finals and after a tough Showdown - was ignored.
"Charlie is not struggling," said Hinkley of the All-Australian key forward. "At this time of the year, he is like everyone. He is banged up and bashed up a little bit, but that is the role he plays. He is certainly not struggling.
"The conversation - if I was to have it with Charlie - would get an enormous amount of resistance from Charlie: 'Don't you dare think about not letting me play!' Game day is what these blokes live for and Charlie wants to be out there every game; he does not want to miss any game.
"I am not a coach who typically messes around with people. We like to keep the team together for as long as we can."
Marshall's recall does draw much commentary, as noted by Hinkley.
"There are a lot of people out there with opinions on what Todd doesn't bring," Hinkley said. "We think the cohesion of our forward line has a lot to do with what Todd does, particularly without ball in hand. He operates with the other forwards; he is smart and intelligent as a forward who knows his way around. He knows when it is his turn to get in and out of the way; he knows when it is his turn to be in other positions; he does everything for the team.
"We certainly did miss Todd last week. I am reluctant at any stage to leave Todd out of the team - but when we get a fit and healthy squad, you have to play at a really high level to maintain your position in the side."
Port Adelaide's forward work - for seven goals off 48 inside-50 entries in the Showdown - merits much analysis and correction this weekend.
"There is lots out of the Showdown that was not at the level we would like it to be," Hinkley said. "We reflect on the pressure of the Showdown. Reality is we did not play at a level that we would like to play ...
"Not just the forward movement, but the ball movement or defence. We just did not have everything at a level we need. The boys have trained really well this week; last week we didn't have a great week on the track. This week was much better."
Port Adelaide can lock a top-four finish by beating non-contender Carlton, but the 16th win of the home-and-away season demands no letdown from the Showdown victory.
"We have shown we are a consistent football team more often than not," Hinkley said. "Regardless of the Showdown, we approach each week the same way: We know our best is needed every time we play AFL.
"We can't manufacture anything different on the back of a Showdown. Nor do we make any game more important - every game is important."
Port Adelaide resisted recalling Steven Motlop, who has recovered from ankle surgery. He is to build his base from SANFL action.
"Like we did with Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma when they came back, we gave them a week in the SANFL," Hinkley said. "We have made sure we give them a run to help them get to their best form as quick as we can."
There also is encouraging news in the recovery of first-year defender Lachie Jones, who is back to running after a second bout of ankle surgery - this time to the other ankle. He and experienced defender Hamish Hartlett (knee) are both to resume playing by the end of the month, keeping them in the frame for finals.
"He is close," Hinkley said of Jones. "It has been a remarkable season for Lach considering he is young, strong and really talented who basically has had no injuries through his career and in his first year in AFL he has had syndesmosis injuries on both ankles and a couple of hamstring injuries. But he does get over them quickly.
"I love what he brings and we as a football team love what he brings."
The round 22 clash starts at 4.05pm with all 15,000 tickets allocated for the game taken up.
