PORT Adelaide prime mover Ollie Wines is pressing to return early from a dislocated wrist.
As the Power grapple with a middling 3-3 record after six rounds, Wines wants to return from a three-match absence against the Brisbane Lions on Sunday.
The young midfielder injured his wrist against North Melbourne in round three but avoided surgery.
"Ollie will give himself every chance," teammate Jack Hombsch told reporters on Monday.
"I think he's still a week away but he'll be in (coach) Kenny's (Hinkley) ear I'm sure.
"You want him back in your team as soon as you can but you don't want to rush something like his wrist - if he does any more damage to it and misses more."
Port expects key forward Jay Schulz (back) and in-form onballer Brad Ebert (thigh) to overcome respective knocks and play against the Lions.
The duo was hurt in Sunday's unexpected loss to West Coast which left Port in 10th spot on the ladder.
"It's still early in the year so no panic stations yet or anything like that," Hombsch said.
But he said Port had yet to deal with becoming the hunted, rather than hunter, this season.
"Last year we still had the underdog status a little bit," Hombsch said.
"That is something we don't have quite as much this year so it's something we have got to get used to.
"From a players' mindset, we don't think differently ... we're expected to win those games.
"But the competition is really even. You can see from the results from other games, if you don't bring your A game, that is the risk you run."