Paddy Ryder and Tom Jonas will be on Port Adelaide's team sheet but are no certainty to return from injury against the Western Bulldogs on Sunday.
Ryder missed last week's loss to GWS because of a hip injury and key backman Jonas has been out two games because of a knee injury.
Port coach Ken Hinkley says the duo will be named in an extended squad to face the Dogs in Ballarat, but they face further fitness checks.
"We'll see how they respond to their training today but we're pretty confident they're going to play," Hinkley told reporters on Thursday.
"I'm not in the habit of putting in fake news."
Untried ruck Billy Frampton will also be named and will make his AFL debut if Ryder doesn't prove his fitness.
Frampton, a 200cm tall West Australian, has been on Port's books since taken with pick 84 at the 2014 national draft.
But Hinkley was bullish about Ryder's chances of returning to lead the rucks against the Bulldogs.
"We will give Paddy every chance to come up," he said.
"He has recovered from his little hip flexor, which is the key ... there's not too many issues with him currently.
"It's a matter of pulling up okay on Saturday and playing on Sunday."
Jonas was initially forecast to miss a month after knee surgery but was training well, Hinkley said.
"Tommy has progressed a bit quicker than we thought," he said.
"He ran so well late last week and he's progressed again this week. He was moving pretty well at training today."
Defender Dougal Howard is sidelined by a hand injury and utility Karl Amon will miss two to three weeks because of a knee injury.
