STOPPING the influence of Greater Western Sydney ruckman Shane Mumford is top priority for Port Adelaide when the two sides face off in Canberra on Saturday.
The Power's ruck stocks took a hit this week with Paddy Ryder suspended for one match after striking Adelaide's Riley Knight in last weekend's Showdown.
Ryder's ban opened the door for back-up ruckman Matthew Lobbe to play his first game of the season, but a hamstring injury sustained at training this week, cruelled his chances of a return.
The bogeymen: Who's coming to get your team in round four?
Power coach Ken Hinkley will now need to rely on Jackson Trengove to shoulder the bulk of the ruck duties against the Giants, with Charlie Dixon and Justin Westhoff to pinch-hit throughout the game.
While Hinkley admitted Mumford was "right at the top" of the best ruckman in the competition, he was confident Trengove would be able to hold his own against the Giant's bigman.
"We'll be fine," Hinkley told reporters at Adelaide airport on Friday.
"'Jacko' has been our ruck basically for the last 12 months anyhow on his own. He'll look forward to taking that challenge on. Big Mummy is a great player but we know that Jacko will give him a real contest for the whole game.
"There's not too many secrets with Mummy. He's an aggressive, big ruckman who creates a lot of play for his exciting midfielders. For us we need to quell some of his importance but also limit the damage they do on the floor."
Mumford had 49 hitouts against Port Adelaide in their round 18 clash last year, and will be keen to redeem himself after he was out-played by North Melbourne ruckman Braydon Preuss last weekend.
The Power flew out to Canberra on Friday with Logan Austin and Aidyn Johnson the traveling emergencies.
Midfielder Matt White will play his first game in over 12 months after tearing a pectoral muscle in round one last year, while running half-back Jasper Pittard returns from a hamstring injury to play his first senior game of the season.
The pair will provide some much needed run to a Port Adelaide side that has had a solid start to 2017.
The Power has shown plenty of promise in the opening three rounds, losing just the one match to cross-town rivals Adelaide.
Hinkley said he was bullish about his side's chances against early premiership favourites GWS.
"We look forward to the challenge," Hinkley said.
"Adelaide last week, GWS this week, we are getting a real idea of where we are at. We go up to Canberra with some real confidence that we can beat GWS and come away with a really important win."
