THE FOOTBALL community will focus on Kurt Tippett's return to Adelaide this weekend but the former Crow's first game for the Swans isn't distracting Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley.
Tippett will make his debut for his new club on Saturday against the Power, having completed an 11-game ban for his role in salary cap breaches involving his last contract at the Crows.
Tippett is expected to receive a hostile welcome from the AAMI Stadium crowd after burning his bridges at the Power's crosstown rival and crossing to the Harbour City late last year.
But Hinkley said his sole focus was devising a way to beat the red-hot reigning premiers.
The Power coach said defensive revelation Jack Hombsch, 20, would work in tandem with Alipate Carlile to quell Tippett's influence but he admitted the Swans were an almighty challenge even without the big forward's presence.
"This is a great side," Hinkley said.
"We're playing the Sydney Swans who won the premiership last year and [they have] shown form this year that would suggest they are one of the favourites to do that again.
"It's a great challenge for us and for our team to have them down here at home and take them on."
The key to Port Adelaide competing against the Swans - and perhaps pulling off a remarkable upset - will be consistency.
If the Power fail to muster a genuine four-quarter effort, Hinkley said the reigning premiers would punish them.
He said his midfielders must also work tirelessly to counter the Swans' 'slingshot' attack.
"One thing we've coached really hard as a coaching staff is [that] our midfielders have to be a team that's prepared to work defensively first more than even offence," he said.
"We still know we've got some room to improve. We probably haven't been able to deliver a four-quarter game.
"If we don't do that against the Swans, we'll be in trouble."
Matthew Lobbe will continue his role as the Power's sole ruckman with Jarrad Redden's season over after hip surgery on Thursday.
Redden is due for a second procedure within the next fortnight to fix his injured shoulder.
While conceding it was a blow to lose the 22-year-old for the rest of the year, Hinkley said the form of Brent Renouf and Lobbe suggested the Power would cope without him.
"We've got 'Lobbes' in good form, we've got 'Roufy' back in the SANFL now in good form too, so we're still OK there," he said.
"Yes, we'd love to have 'Reddo' still playing, but unfortunately that's footy."
Vice-captain Brad Ebert will captain the Power in Travis Boak's absence. It will be the first time an Ebert has led Port Adelaide since his legendary uncle Russell, a four-time Magarey medallist, in 1985.
Boak is expected to miss Saturday's match and the following game against Collingwood after having surgery to fix his finger.
"To step up and take over as captain is a good challenge for me…it's exciting. It's a great honour," Ebert said.
"I haven't had a chance to talk to [Russell] too much about what captaincy's about but he did congratulate me the other day.
"He leaves it to the coaches to talk to us these days, he doesn't want to tread on too many toes."
Harry Thring is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Harry
