PORT Adelaide's Brownlow medallist Ollie Wines doesn't have the answer to his club's "puzzling question" after losing another ruckman to injury.
The Power's thin ruck stocks will be tested on Sunday when they host Gold Coast and its imposing co-captain and ruck Jarrod Witts.
Port's first-choice ruckman Scott Lycett is a month away from returning from a shoulder injury.
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His initial replacement, seven-gamer Sam Hayes, has fallen from selection favour.
The Power's mid-season draftee, ruckman Brynn Teakle, broke a collarbone when making his AFL debut last weekend.
Port has another potential ruckman on its list, Dante Visentini, but he's an untested 19-year-old.
"It's the gift that keeps giving," Wines told reporters on Tuesday of Port's ruck problems.
"Whatever happens this weekend, not too sure. That is a really puzzling question for (coach) Ken (Hinkley) and the team."
Port forward Jeremy Finlayson has filled in at ruck but at 197cm tall, he's 12cm shorter and 17kg lighter than Witts.
"He (Finlayson) is almost like another midfielder," Wines said.
"And it almost might be a bit of a time in football where that more mobile fourth mid-type of ruckman is coming in.
"You see a lot of really good ruckmen in the league still doing really good things but the times might be changing a little, where ruckmen who follow up their work and be that extra number on the ground level is really important."
Wines said whichever way Port selectors go, they'd be studying how best to combat Witts.
"What he does in the ruck and providing them first access to the ball, it probably keeps us midfielders on our toes a little bit more and perhaps not expecting us to win as many hits and negating their impact," he said.
"But also he is a real figurehead around the ground, going forward or kicking long down the line he is always there either marking it or creating a contest.
"He is someone that we're going to put a lot of work into."