Carlton coach Michael Voss reckons getting smashed in the ruck hitouts won't be a long-term winning formula as the Blues look to ease the stress on their midfielders.
The absence of Tom De Koning and Marc Pittonet over the past fortnight has resulted in the Blues being comprehensively outpointed in the ruck hitouts.
Carlton's makeshift ruck duo of Lewis Young and the 194cm Jack Silvagni lost the taps 61-27 in a 60-point win over Hawthorn two weeks ago.
Then last week, Carlton were pulverised 70-18 in the taps in a 53-point win over Fremantle last Sunday.
Despite being heavily outpointed in the ruck battle, Carlton won the clearance war on both occasions, with their midfield group particularly impressive in the big win over Fremantle.
The return of the 201cm De Koning for Saturday's clash with Port Adelaide - and the impending return of the 202cm Pittonet from a knee injury - means Carlton will soon be able to hold their own in the ruck contests.
Voss feels like that will be a better look for his team rather than relying on the midfield brigade to go into overdrive trying to make up for the shortfall of winning ruck taps.
"Is it sustainable to be able to have minus 61 hitouts? I'm not sure," Voss told reporters on Friday.
"It puts a lot of stress on what the ground level is trying to achieve.
"Clearly we've been able to do a fantastic job. I can't take away from what Youngy and SOS (Silvagni) have been able to do the last couple of weeks.
"They've competed really strongly.
"Tom comes back in as a bit more of a recognisable ruckman, and we feel like that adds plenty of growth in us as a footy team."
Young has been dropped to make way for De Koning's return, while midfielder Matthew Kennedy is also out after suffering a high-grade MCL injury.
Port have made seven changes, four of which have been forced.
Jason Horne-Francis (back), Charlie Dixon (ankle), Trent McKenzie (ankle) and Junior Rioli (personal reasons) will be missing against Carlton, but ruckman Scott Lycett and captain Tom Jonas return.
The Power are on a club record 13-match winning streak, while Carlton (7-1-8) are back in the finals mix after posting three straight wins.
"They're probably right now, by results, the best team in the competition," Voss said of the Power.
"They've been able to navigate challenges and threats that have come their way, and still been able to find themselves on the positive side.
"This presents an exciting challenge for us."
