PORT Adelaide midfielder Tom Rockliff's disappointing first season with the Power is over, with shoulder surgery ruling him out of Friday night's encounter with Essendon at Adelaide Oval.

Ruckman Billy Frampton will make his debut for the Power, while Sam Powell-Pepper and Jake Neade also come into the side.

Riley Bonner and Aidyn Johnson have been omitted, with the Power needing to beat the Bombers and hope Gold Coast upsets Geelong on Saturday to sneak into the top eight.

Rockliff won't play any part in a possible finals campaign, the 28-year-old former Brisbane captain going under the knife early next week on the same shoulder that he had operated at the end of last year.

It ends a frustrating season for the high-profile recruit, who averaged 20.6 disposals in his 18 games and was dropped during the year.

"Rockliff has a shoulder issue. It's been causing him some problems for a little while and it needs repairing," Power coach Ken Hinkley told reporters on Thursday morning.

"He's had some issues from the start to the finish.

"He had a little patch where he got some good footy going, but he shows enough that we know what he's going to bring.

"I'm sure his second season will be even more positive for us."

Frampton finally gets his opportunity in his fourth season on the Power's list.

The 21-year-old will share ruck duties with Paddy Ryder, who has carried Achilles and hip flexor injuries.

"We've wanted Billy to build his season and be in the position to compete at AFL level and this is going to be a real challenge for Bill, but one we're excited by," Hinkley said.

"Essendon have got (Tom) Bellchambers out, too, that probably helps Billy a little bit, he's going to come up against not a game-to-game ruckman.

"Albeit that will probably be a (Matthew) Leuenberger-type ruckman, so he's still going to be high quality."

Hinkley said the Power – who have lost five of their past six games – wouldn't take the Bombers lightly, citing their strong play in the second half of the season.

"We can't control anything but what we have, and we've just got to perform at a level that gives us the chance to win the game tomorrow night," Hinkley said.

"We understand the side we're coming up against. Their season is done, but they've probably been the in-form team of the competition, so it's going to be an enormous challenge for us."

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