Paddy Ryder's selection signals Port Adelaide's intent to use Saturday's AFL pre-season game against North Melbourne as a full dress rehearsal for their premiership season opener.
Ryder rolled an ankle last weekend in a trial game but has been named in an unchanged Port side to host the Kangaroos at Alberton Oval.
Power assistant coach Michael Voss says Ryder's selection is a pointer to hierarchy wanting to bed down their team for round one of the premiership season.
"We're certainly looking at it with a view of getting as much load as we possibly can into them and replicate round one," Voss told reporters on Friday.
"I think anyone that is playing this week has got the jump on the others (for round one selection) but also understand they don't have exclusive rights either.
"So they get a good look at it, we're keen to settle a few roles - if they're in this side then they have got a really strong chance for round one."
Port's match committee debated the merits of fielding an unchanged side against giving other players an opportunity.
But Voss said a desire to build cohesiveness among a host of new players won out.
"We're fortunate that we're having those conversations," he said.
"Back-end of last year, we were trying to find players, we were starting to fall over and starting to run out of players.
"Now, we're getting personnel on the track, we are getting into really tight conversations around what we want and what is our ideal mix.
"And we're more than content with being able to go in with who is playing the best."
