Port Adelaide's forward line will look to be firing in their Round 1 clash against the Lions. Image: AFL Photos.

Which is easier this week when millions of AFL fans will return to a weekly routine:

PICKING the nine winners in the season-opening round, starting with the grand final rematch between premier Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs at the MCG on Wednesday?

OR finding the first 23 to represent the Port Adelaide Football Club against Brisbane at the Gabba on Saturday night?

Last season, the significant change to the whiteboard in the match committee room at Alberton was in defence. Enter Aliir Aliir, for his All-Australian campaign, to strengthen the dynamics among Port Adelaide's tall defenders.

Aliir, captain Tom Jonas, Tom Clurey and Trent McKenzie. When four into three did not fit, the debate - at least externally - focussed simply on choosing between Clurey and McKenzie.

Aliir played 24 of 24 games. So did Jonas. Clurey worked 17, McKenzie 14.

Port Adelaide's defence gave up third-fewest points against in 2021. Image: AFL Photos.

This season, the same theme moves to the other end of the field with the arrival of 26-year-old Greater Western Sydney recruit Jeremy Finlayson.

Port Adelaide's attack can be built around any or all of Charlie Dixon, Finlayson, rising star Mitch Georgiades and Todd Marshall. Depth is always comforting in football - more so when COVID protocols could influence selection as much as injury.

When four does not work into three key forward roles, the external expectation is the major debate at the fans' selection table will be over 20-year-old, 28-game Georgiades and Marshall, now aged 23 and with 55 AFL matches in five league seasons at Alberton.

This week the question might resolve itself by the absence of Dixon, who did not play a pre-season game while he recuperated from ankle surgery - and is not to return to AFL action until he is fully prepared. As senior coach Ken Hinkley says, Dixon must not be "set up to fail".

And the encouraging form of Georgiades, Finlayson and Marshall as a new tandem - with a combined eight goals against Adelaide in the trial at Richmond Oval - should serve as reassurance to start the season without Dixon.

03:14

"Loving playing at Port made it a really easy decision": Rozee interview | PTV

We speak with Connor Rozee after signing on through the end of 2024.

But is it really a battle - an internal competition - between Georgiades and Marshall when the magnets are sorted on the match committee whiteboard each Wednesday this season?

Hinkley says no - firstly because this assumes that Dixon and Finlayson are always available and guaranteed spots. 

"Best form will get the opportunity to play," Hinkley says. "And clearly there has to be balance with the whole side (not just the attacking zone). 

"Typically, our side is built around three talls. It is unusual to be four - at times last year we were forced to play four talls (Dixon, Marshall, Georgiades and back-up ruckman Peter Ladhams who is now at Sydney) because our high half-forwards were unavailable (by injury). 

"Ultimately, it is probably three tall forwards with the balance of runners and midfield support in there. 

"Finlayson at 197cm fits into the tall category. His presence gives us some comfort while Charlie Dixon prepares for his return. And there is performance pressure added to Charlie, Mitch and Todd. And there also is (untried) Ollie Lord who we hope will continue to improve this year."

While Port Adelaide has shown complete faith in Marshall with his contract extended to the end of 2024, is Season 2022 about a repetitive debate on whether it is Marshall or Georgiades getting the nod alongside Dixon and Finlayson in the regular attack?

"No," says Hinkley. "Ultimately, let's be fair, Charlie is probably in the team if he is fit and firing. 

"Then it becomes deciding if we play three or four tall forwards. It becomes about performance for everyone.

"We won't single out one or two players. At the other end (in defence) we don't think it is McKenzie v Clurey. Or even Sam Skinner who has had a really impressive pre-season. Players pick themselves by performance.

"That is how football has worked for 150 years."

The pre-season win at Richmond did offer more than a look into the short- and long-term future of the Port Adelaide attack with Finlayson and Georgiades. It did ease the concern for the present should Dixon miss the start of the season.

04:53

Zak Butters press conference - 12 March 2022 | PTV

Zak Butters speaks with the media after signing on through the end of 2024.

Port Adelaide captain Tom Jonas watched with a prime view from defence how a new midfield - with Zak Butters in starting rotations and Dan Houston on a wing - can confidently work the ball to the options presented in a new-look forward-50 arc.

"I have loved everything I have seen from Jeremy Finlayson since he has come to our club," Jonas said.

"Todd Marshall obviously carries a lot of external weight on his shoulders. But internally he is very highly rated; we love what he brings to our team.

"Mitch Georgiades is such an exciting young prospect - and he is only 20 years of age and is only going to get better.

"And there is the mosquito fleet, the smaller blokes who have a real drive to play team footy - working hard, putting pressure on.

"It is a great mix. And we have forwards who can work in the midfield. So I am really confident in our whole playing group."

Port Adelaide's goalscoring power in 22-round home-and-away series - with full-length games rather than the truncated version of 2020 - is on the rise from 259 goals in 2018 (with 53.4 per cent accuracy) to 257 with poorer conversion in 2019 (49.3 per cent accuracy) to 276 (54.7 per accuracy) last season.