MATT White will miss Sunday afternoon’s twilight clash with Collingwood due to a sore groin, Port Adelaide senior coach Ken Hinkley has confirmed.

But key defender Alipate Carlile and versatile forward Angus Monfries are likely to front the Magpies, and only need to get through the club's main training session on Thursday.

While both Carlile and Monfries are expected to pass fit, the story is different for White who will be forced to sit on the sidelines as he recovers from his groin issue.

He could be available to face Sydney next week.

It makes the return of Monfries as an important midfield and forward option even more important.

"With the bye, we were really well planned with Monfries, we knew he was struggling coming back from his ankle [injury], so we took the choice to get him as best as we possibly could," Hinkley said.

"Now we think he's at his absolute best and can perform that way.

"White's going to miss ... he's struggling with a bit of a groin [issue] so to have Gus come back in is going to cover that a bit.

"Matt's had the bye, we're going to give him another week [this week] and hopefully he'll be OK."

Despite losing four of its last six games, Hinkley is confident his side has managed the loss of two key defenders and a forward and will be able to return to form against Collingwood on Sunday.

Defensive ball work has been a focus in the fortnight between games according to midfielder Ollie Wines, while Hinkley has said the test of playing in-form sides like Sydney, Essendon, Adelaide and Richmond has been an important learning experience for the Power.

"We'd like to think that we've coped reasonably well [without Carlile and Jackson Trengove], albeit our form hasn't been as strong as it was, but we've still been able to hold up pretty well defensively," Hinkley said.

"If you look at our form over that month, I think we've been beaten by Sydney, Essendon, Richmond, Crows, and in their last months of football, I reckon they might have lost two or three between the four of them - so their form's been pretty good.

"I think people have forgotten a little bit about that.

"We want to be travelling better than we have been, but the bye's come at a good time for us and hopefully it gives us a good 'freshen-up' and will allow us to come out and play the way we have to."

Port Adelaide plays Collingwood at 4:40pm (AEST) on Sunday 3 August.