Krakouer out, Ebert doubt for Power

PORT Adelaide will be without young playmaker Nathan Krakouer when it heads to Sydney to tackle the Swans on Sunday.

Krakouer, 21, has been a revelation across half-back but the lightly framed West Australian has developed some soreness over the opening eight rounds.

Brett Ebert (back tightness) was put through his paces at training on Friday and coach Mark Williams admitted the small forward was also in doubt for Sunday's game.

"You saw us testing Brett Ebert there as well, so we're not sure what will happen," Williams said on Friday.

"But Krak [Krakouer] has played 14 games in a row and probably needs a break."

Williams said inclement weather in Sydney had made planning for the game difficult, but revealed tall forward Matthew Westhoff would travel with the team as an emergency.

Port Adelaide has dropped its past four games against the Swans, including two hefty defeats at the SCG.

Williams said the Power could take heart from their performance against the Sydneysiders in the same game (round nine) last year.

"We played them [the Swans] twice last year and the first game was really disappointing, but seven games later we played one of the best games we played for the year even though we lost," he said.

"We want to play like that, so it's a really tough, hard, competitive game – we'll be satisfied with that. It'll be a matter of grinding it out and trying to get over the line first."

Williams, who was a coaching apprentice to Kevin Sheedy at Essendon, has been a big advocate of indigenous players in the AFL throughout his career.

On Friday, he paid tribute to indigenous players, past and present, and encouraged the AFL to use the themed round as a fundraiser for Aboriginal health.

"We saw some of the things the AFL did for the Victorian Bushfire Appeal," Williams said.

"I think if we show a leading way with the Aboriginal players all over Australia leading the fight, it [the money raised] would be a great thing to hand back to the communities."