PORT Adelaide won't rest players ahead of its elimination final but coach Ken Hinkley left the door ajar for leaving out players with niggling injuries from the 22 that will face Carlton on Saturday.

Exciting midfielder Oliver Wines has played all 21 games this season, one of just two first-year players to have done so along with Gold Coast's Jaeger O'Meara.

His second half of the season has suggested the 18-year-old is in need of a break, with his disposal count dropping from 20 a game to 15 a game since round 15.

Hinkley said that while the club wouldn't rest players, those with fitness concerns could be given a week off.

"The only reason we would make a change to our side is going to be based on the player's fitness to play the game out and to give him the best chance to be available at his best.

"We've got a couple of players who sit in that category, who are not quite at their best at the moment.

"We've got some players that we need to have available but we've also got some players we need to look after a little bit.

"We'll get the best side out there for this weekend to represent our club and win this game."

Former skipper Domenic Cassisi and young defender Jack Hombsch will be brought back into the side to play the Blues in the hope they can feature in the club's elimination final next week.

Hombsch's season was thought to be finished when he fractured his cheekbone at training at the beginning of the month while Cassisi hasn't played since round 20 with hamstring soreness.

"Dom will play and Hombschy will play - we'll give them a game this week and make sure we get some football into them and give them a chance to be fit and available for the following week," Hinkley said.

With a Carlton win enough for the Blues to play finals, Hinkley said this weekend was the perfect dress rehearsal for next week's elimination final.

He emphasised the importance of Saturday's match in preparing the squad for the elimination final.

"What a great opportunity for us - we're going to play against a side who absolutely have to win to get their place in the finals.

"Our focus had to be on training well Monday, then training well again Wednesday and again tomorrow … we've kept the focus really narrow and we're not going to allow that to escape.

"It's natural that they're look ahead a little bit and think about [finals] a little bit; we're going to do our best to control that.

"The best way to control that is to play tough footy on Saturday."

Twitter: @AFL_Harry