IT'S JUST a matter of time before Port Adelaide re-signs key duo Justin Westhoff and Ollie Wines, coach Ken Hinkley says.
The out-of-contract pair are crucial for the club's success and would attract significant attention from rival clubs.
Westhoff, 27, qualified for free agency this season after a career-best year in 2013 in which he averaged 18 possessions, six marks and more than a goal a game.
Wines was exceptional in his debut season, playing every game and averaging 19 disposals and four tackles a game to finish third in the NAB AFL Rising Star Award.
Speculation is mounting that the club could announce their re-signings as early as Friday night's season launch at Adelaide Oval.
But whether it was announced at the season launch, next week or next month, Hinkley said he had no doubt they would remain his players next year.
"I'll be really excited when the time comes, no doubt about that, I've said all along that I've got no fear at all that any of the boys are wanting to not be here," Hinkley said.
"It is a matter of time and it runs its course and the club will make those announcements at the right time – hopefully 'Rohdey's' (football manager Peter Rohde) done his work.
"If it's not tonight or tomorrow or the next day, I'm still very confident that we've got nothing to think about or worry about."
Westhoff and Wines will feature in the Power's practice match against St Kilda on Saturday at Alberton - their last hit-out before next weekend's round one clash against Carlton.
The Power will again be without defensive pair Alipate Carlile and Jackson Trengove for the practice match, while Jay Schulz will also rest his sprained foot.
Hinkley said Schulz was a walk-in for round one and, while Carlile and Trengove are likely to be available, the form of Jack Hombsch and Tom Clurey meant they were no guarantees to play.
"They'll be all right and available for round one … Schulz's had football so it's not an issue for us … it's a no-brainer with him, he'll come back into the side," he said.
"The other two boys we've got to sit there and make some decisions based on performance this weekend.
"They've been really good, Hombsch and Clurey, and we're going to play (Jarman) Impey again tomorrow, we've got (Cameron) O'Shea, (Tom) Jonas and (Matthew) Broadbent around so we've actually got some experience down that end of the ground.
"Yeah we're a bit short on for the genuine talls, but Hombschy – I'm sure if you ask him – thinks he's a lock for one of our tall positions."
Hinkley said there were still three or four spots up for grabs for the club's round one game and that he was waiting for a fringe player to select himself.
"If I'm 100 per cent honest I'd say I've probably got 18 or 19 that I know … I've got great confidence in this group," he said.
"Even that six or seven that I'm still thinking about, I trust them, I just need two of them to expose themselves enough that they say 'you can't not pick me'."
