PORT Adelaide ruckman Dean Brogan has urged the club’s younger brigade to grab that “winning feeling” at the start their careers in tomorrow night’s NAB Cup clash against Carlton.

Brogan, 29, will be the oldest player on the field on Saturday night at AAMI Stadium and said he was hoping his experience would rub off on his Power teammates.

Star siblings Chad and Kane Cornes and Shaun and Peter Burgoyne will be missing from tomorrow’s team while all-Australian ruckman Brendon Lade will also sit out with a quad injury.

But Brogan insisted the club was determined to instil the right culture into its emerging players.

“There’s no better way to start the season off than with a good win,” Brogan said today.

“It’s important to get a winning culture amongst the young guys, who probably don’t play every week, so they realise that’s what we’re here to do. The bigger picture is round one, but I think it will be a good game tomorrow night.”

Four players, Marlon Motlop, Paul Stewart, Ryan Williams and Jonathan Giles have been named to make their AFL debuts.

Motlop, 17, will be the youngest player on the field having been born in 1990.  He will be keen to impress coach Mark Williams as will Stewart, 20, Williams, 19, and Giles, a 20-year-old back-up ruckman.

“I think the NAB Cup is very important for our club,” Brogan said.

“We’ve got a lot of young guys playing this week. I think it’ll probably be the youngest team we’ve ever fielded, so a lot of guys will get an opportunity.

“Tredders (Warren Tredrea) and I are the only guys over the age of 25 playing tomorrow night. I got that statistic in the car on the way here and it made me feel a bit old, but it’s an exciting time for the club.”

Brogan will also be playing his first game alongside apprentice ruck duo Fabian Deluca and Giles.

Brogan, Deluca and Giles will be pitted against Cameron Cloke and No 1 draft pick Matthew Kreuzer in the ruck.

“Normally I’m the one who is injured and they come in to replace me. I think I played a pre-season game with Gilesy last year, but this will be my first real run with them,” Brogan said.

“Fabian Deluca played a few games last year and the year before, so I guess he’s probably the next ruckman in line, but Jonathon Giles has had a really good pre-season.

“Gilesy is very raw, but he’s got a lot of talent. We’ve also got Hugh Minson who is coming back from injury, so we’ve got a bit of [ruck] stock. It’s important to get a bit of game time into the young guys like Deluca and Giles and especially Gilesy because it will be his first AFL game.”

Brogan, a former NBL basketballer and championship winner, said he was aiming to play every game during the NAB Cup competition.

“I’ve had a really good pre-season, probably one of the best since I’ve been at the club and Choco asked me if I wanted to play Saturday night or if I wanted a rest,” he said.

“I told him that I really wanted to play and I think it’s important that I get some game time under my belt. I’m not expecting to set the world on fire but I want to get some run in my legs, hopefully get through the game and tick the box, then move on to next week.”