PORT Adelaide key defender Jackson Trengove is still in the mix for the club's round one cash against Carlton on March 16 despite jarring his knee at training on Monday.

There was initial fear the 23-year-old had suffered ligament damage after landing awkwardly in a marking contest, but the club's defence coach Matthew Nicks said scans had revealed only bone bruising.

Trengove, a joint winner of the 2011 John Cahill Medal, will miss up to a month of pre-season training but Nicks hoped he would be available for the last hit-out against St Kilda on March 8.

"Our initial thought was, 'Are we going to lose him for a fair bit of the season?' It probably looked worse than what it's ended up - a bit of bone bruising.

"Bone bruising is something that everyone reacts to differently in their recovery so we'll just see how he gets through it.

"St Kilda's [our last trial game] so we'd be really hoping he's back by then."

Should Trengove's recovery take longer than expected, Nicks said youngsters Jack Hombsch and Tom Clurey would prove worthy round-one replacements.

Hombsch played some impressive football for the Power last year after crossing from Greater Western Sydney, while the 193cm Clurey has enjoyed a bumper pre-season.

The 19-year-old developed significantly in the SANFL last season and appears likely to debut at some point in 2014.

"Jack Hombsch has trained really well this pre-season. Tommy Clurey is another young guy that not many people would have seen a lot of and has been fantastic," Nicks said.

"These guys have been training all pre-season on Jay Schulz and Justin Westhoff and John Butcher, so they've been learning – this is just an opportunity for them now.

"I'd love to see some of these guys … Hombsch has already shown that he's definitely got the ability at the level, Clurey's a young up and coming player but I'm sure if given the opportunity he'd stand up."

Nicks also praised the training form of high profile recruit Jared Polec, saying he had taken his game to "the next level" over the summer.

Polec arrived at Alberton having failed to live up to the hype generated as a top-five pick from the 2010 NAB AFL Draft, with injuries largely to blame.

But Nicks said he had been excited by Polec's change in attitude and his potential in the Power's backline.

"I've seen a transformation of a young player, super talented as far as his football goes and he's bought into our defensive mindset," he said.

"That's a credit to some of our senior players who have basically put him under their wing and said this is how we play.

"I've seen a huge change in him - just his mindset to defend and what's required to playing some good footy at this club.

"Offensively there's no question he's got ability - he's now found another level; he's taken his defence to that next level."