PORT Adelaide is preparing to itself for the ultimate defensive test this weekend against what the club considers the best in the business – Fremantle.
The Dockers have conceded the third fewest points of any side in the competition this season but the Power are not far behind, ranked fifth.
Port has conceded 523 points in seven games, with Fremantle only allowing 502. Hawthorn has conceded the least, with 493.
While Port has become one of the League's most miserly teams, veteran forward Jay Schulz said Fremantle was still seen as the defensive benchmark.
The last time these sides met, at Patersons Stadium in round 22 last year, the Dockers smashed the Power by 74 points.
Schulz said the Power learned a lot after that defeat and were now better positioned to take down last year's grand finalists.
"Playing Freo last year, for our group and especially for myself personally, I think was the hardest game that we played and learned the biggest lessons just about how they go with their pressure," Schulz said.
"It's a massive challenge for us and we know that - it's going to be on for young and old.
"You're playing a Grand Final side and what everyone considers to be the best defensive side in the comp, so it's going to be a pressure game.
"I think we've taken a few steps in the right direction and we're still building in that direction and I think we're better placed as a group [to play them]."
Saturday's game at Adelaide Oval will be Schulz's 150th, a milestone he admitted he questioned he'd ever reach.
The 29-year-old has started the season in superb fashion, with his six-goal haul against Greater Western Sydney at the weekend pushing him to the lead in the Coleman Medal race.
"There were periods of time where I didn't think I would get quite this far, earlier on in my football career, and I'm very proud of the way I've played my footy especially in the second half of my career and the way I'm going about it now," he said.
"It'll be a special moment for me."
Schulz was close to having to wait another game to reach the milestone after almost being ruled out at the weekend along with Hamish Hartlett and Alipate Carille with gastro.
Hartlett and Carlile were both late withdrawals from the match against the Giants and Schluz also nearly fell victim, but all three are set to take their places on Saturday.
"As [Power coach] Kenny (Hinkley) probably said, I was a little bit white the morning of [the game]," he said.
"Just the three of us all caught it on the one day which was interesting … everyone's fine, the boys are really good this morning.
"'Hammer' (Hartlett) and 'Bobby' (Carlile) will be able to do a bit of running this arvo, we'll all be fine this week."
