PORT Adelaide could be set to take Victorian Max King over their need for speed if the tall forward is available at pick five in the NAB AFL Draft on Thursday night.
It's understood the Power think highly of 202cm King and would have no issue in taking him ahead of homegrown players and pacy midfielders.
The only scenario where the Power overlook King is if South Australian speedster Izak Rankine is still on the board, which is highly unlikely.
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Rankine is tipped to be a top-three selection alongside Victorian Country midfielder Sam Walsh – the favourite to go at No.1 overall to Carlton – and athletic swingman Jack Lukosius.
If that goes to plan, the Power would need St Kilda to pass on King with the No.4 overall selection.
King has spent time at Moorabbin during his rehab with a torn ACL, but the Saints could prefer to choose a midfielder.
They include Victorian pair Bailey Smith and Jye Caldwell, and South Australian Connor Rozee.
However, AFL.com.au's draft expert Cal Twomey believes the Saints will grab King with the fourth selection, leaving the Power to take Rozee at No.5.
In his 2018 Phantom Draft, Twomey writes that "Port Adelaide didn't move up the draft board just to pick a local, but Rozee's talents see him around this mark".
If King did slide through to the Power, he would be another key target inside 50 alongside 28-year-old Charlie Dixon, while he would develop alongside third-year tall forward Todd Marshall.
In the short-term, the Power will also have rucks Paddy Ryder and Scott Lycett as forward options.
King is a prodigious talent who would've been in the running as the No.1 overall pick if he hadn't suffered a season-ending knee injury in a school game this year.
The Sandringham Dragons product booted 8.5 and took nine marks, including six contested, in his one TAC Cup game against the Oakleigh Chargers.
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The Power don't have concerns about drafting Victorian players ahead of South Australians.
They are confident in their ability to retain players from interstate, with All-Australian forward/midfielder Robbie Gray, captain Travis Boak and vice-captain Ollie Wines among those who have found a home at the Power.
The Power have picks five, 10, 15 and 85 in the national draft.