Composure the key to top four: Port coach

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley says composure in Fremantle's cauldron is the key to stealing fourth spot on the AFL ladder from the Dockers.

Port Adelaide AFL defender Jarman Impey

Port Adelaide have recalled defender Jarman Impey for the top-four AFL battle with Fremantle. (AAP)

Port Adelaide's top-four AFL ambitions will be dashed if they lose their cool in Fremantle's cauldron, Power coach Ken Hinkley says.

Hinkley believes composure will decide if Port can steal fourth spot from Fremantle in Saturday's crunch game in Perth.

The fourth-placed Dockers host the Power who sit fifth, with the winner securing a coveted double chance in the finals.

The loser will finish fifth and face a sudden-death path to the premiership - a road never successfully completed in the current finals format.

Hinkley says Port must take calculated risks to sink the Dockers.

"We have got to be prepared to not be too safe with the ball, but you just can't go silly," Hinkley told reporters in Adelaide on Friday.

"You have got to have great composure and we talk about that every week - composure is the key ingredient to decision making. And if you can get that, you're okay.

"Fremantle are incredible at taking that composure away from you."

The Dockers have summoned key duo Matthew Pavlich and Michael Barlow from injury, dropping Garrick Ibbotson and Matt de Boer.

And Hinkley made one change - recalling novice defender Jarman Impey and omitting fellow backman Cam O'Shea - in what the Power coach said was a gamble.

Impey, 19, will be tasked with minding Fremantle's potential game-breaking forward Hayden Ballantyne.

The 17-gamer held Ballantyne goalless and to just nine disposals in Port's three-goal win against the Dockers in round eight.

"Cam O'Shea is incredibly unlucky to go out of the side, to be fair, but Jarman Impey has got to come in and play on their smalls," Hinkley said.

"It's a big show of faith in the young fella to say 'come in and have a go at it'.

"I really do trust Jarman. He will give his absolute best - he's playing on quality opponents, though, so it still might be pretty hard for him."

While also wary of the threat posed by Fremantle ruckman Aaron Sandilands, Hinkley was bullish about Port's chances.

"I'm really confident that our best form can compete against any of the teams in the competition," he said.

"We understand that playing over in Perth is certainly one of the toughest trips ... but it's one that we have still got enough confidence about going over there."


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