FORMER Melbourne players Jack Watts and Jack Trengove have missed out on recalls for Port Adelaide's clash against the Demons.

Watts and Trengove had big games for Port's SANFL side last Sunday and this was the first chance to play against Melbourne after switching clubs late last year.

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But Power coach Ken Hinkley has confirmed their only change will be Jack Hombsch making way for in-form defender Tom Jonas, who is back from a hamstring injury.

Port coach Ken Hinkley told reporters Hombsch was unlucky to miss out.

"Played really well, Jack, last week, to be honest, but the balance of the team and Jonas' form was obviously the overriding factor," Hinkley said.

Hinkley pointed to former Brisbane captain Tom Rockliff's stint in the SANFL as a pointer to how the Power would deal with Watts. 

After recovering from a calf injury, Rockliff played two games in the reserves before returning in impressive form.

"Like we showed with 'Rocky' earlier in the year, when you give them that break, you probably need to give them a little bit of time, unless you're forced into (making a change)," Hinkley said.

"I think that works well for Jack. He played really well last week. It was probably the best game I think he's played for the season almost in some crucial areas for us. That was just his contest stuff, and his ball use was really elite." 

Sam Gray didn't train after coming down ill but Hinkley was confident he would face Melbourne.

Meanwhile, Darcy Byrne-Jones will be right after what the club initially said was hamstring awareness, but that was clarified by Hinkley as an obturator internus muscle issue, in amusing scenes at the press conference.

That muscle sits under the hamstring. 

"The hamstring awareness call sometimes gets you in trouble but that was actually what was wrong with Darcy," Hinkley said.

The ruck battle between Paddy Ryder and Max Gawn looms as critical.

Ryder missed five games earlier in the season after an Achilles issue flared up, a problem he has carried since arriving at the club from Essendon in 2014.

"Paddy's managed his Achilles since he's been with us. At times it gets a bit worse, but at the moment it's in a really good space," Hinkley said.

"I'm keeping my fingers crossed it stays that way but it's always going to be in our mind and it's always going to be in Paddy's mind."