PORT Adelaide could throw sore defender Tom Jonas the huge task of stopping star Hawk Cyril Rioli in their preliminary final clash on Saturday evening.
Power vice-captain Brad Ebert said Jonas was a good chance to face the Hawks after suffering a corked hip against Fremantle on Saturday.
Rioli is no certainty to return from a 12-week hamstring injury for the Hawks but he took a positive step on Monday after making it through training with the main group.
Ebert said that although the small forward was a weapon for the Hawks, the Power had the players on hand to handle him if he does take to the MCG - and that includes Jonas.
"The last I saw [Jonas] he was walking around pretty fine – he should be good to go," Ebert said.
"He's become imperative over the last couple of years ... he's become a real strong man amongst the group.
"Jonas is always able to play tall or small, he's always good like that.
"Matthew Broadbent, while he's good offensively he's also really good at being able to nullify a player like [Rioli] and Jasper Pittard's another one."
Ebert said his side would enter the huge clash quietly optimistic it could create a second successive boilover.
The Dockers had won 28 of their previous 30 games at Patersons Stadium and led by 31 points last Saturday night before an irresistible second half from the Power secured the upset.
Although it was a win that boosted the players' belief, Ebert said the first half – in which the Power were lucky not to be blown away – had reminded them group a complete effort was required.
Port will enter the preliminary final with "utmost respect" for Hawthorn, but confident it had what it took to reach its first Grand Final since 2007, Ebert said.
"To be playing in a preliminary final you've got to be able to believe in what you do and so we are, we're confident…we believe that we can match it with them and we can win," he said.
"But we don't want to be over-confident.
"That first half [against the Dockers] showed that when we don't turn up and we aren't able to execute, we can get found out pretty quickly.
"Contested footy in close, win the stoppages and give your forwards some really strong delivery.
"Every club talks about the same sort of stuff, [it] seems to be the mantra of the finals, but that really is the way that teams are able to win in finals footy."
