PORT Adelaide captain Domenic Cassisi is expected to play in Sunday's all-important clash with Carlton at AAMI Stadium despite surgery to repair a frontal sinus fracture.

Cassisi, who suffered the injury in the win over Hawthorn two weeks ago, wore a helmet as protection against Fremantle but on Monday underwent a minor procedure to reset the dent.

The 26-year-old missed Wednesday's short training session, but will join his teammates for their hit-out on Friday.

Jacob Surjan (corked hip) also sat out training on Wednesday but is still in contention to play the Blues.

Port Adelaide, which went down to 15th-placed Fremantle by 42 points on Sunday, needs to win this week to hold on to eighth spot.

The Power haven't won consecutive games since rounds three and four, but haven't lost consecutive games since June.

Carlton is one of the competition's form sides having won five of its past six games and Power midfielder Kane Cornes said his teammates couldn't afford to rely on their yo-yo form to get over the line this week.

"The form pattern suggests we’ll win this week, but Carlton has been playing some pretty good footy and beat Geelong last week," Cornes said on Wednesday.

"They’re not going to be easy and they're certainly in the hunt to play finals and even get a top-five or six spot.

"Carlton will come over here all guns blazing and we'll have to play as well as we did against Hawthorn and in some other games this year to beat them."

Peter Burgoyne is rated a good chance to return after another dominant display in the SANFL, while Steven Salopek, Brett Ebert, Matthew Broadbent and Paul Stewart are also in contention.

Daniel Motlop (ankle) is on track to return against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba next week.

Cornes said it was important the Power found the right mix of youth and experience ahead of a season-defining three weeks.

"The confidence of the group has been up and down all year," he said. "We haven't been able to string those games together that would have given us a lot of confidence at this stage of the year, so it's just a matter of trying to get yourself up every week.

"The games that we've lost to the lower-ranked sides have probably hurt us at this stage of the year.

"Not stringing those games together has been difficult, but to still be eighth and in a great position to make the finals is really exciting for us. We've definitely got that carrot dangling in front of us."