WILLIE RIOLI is off the Port Adelaide AFL selection whiteboard for Saturday's last-saloon challenge with Hawthorn, but captain Connor Rozee is still a possible starter in Launceston.

Rioli will step away from the AFL line-up - and possibly play in the SANFL this weekend, if healthy - after being troubled by a foot injury for the past month.

Rozee will get the final call on his capacity to carry a broken hand into the clash Port Adelaide must win to stay within reach of the 14-win season needed to be a top-eight finalist this year.

Port Adelaide senior coach Ken Hinkley on Wednesday was again left to work through a straining injury list that this week gained game-breaking midfielder Jason Horne-Francis (broken foot).

"Willie Rioli has struggled in recent weeks and will not play (AFL) this week," Hinkley said. "He has not been able to train. He has not been able to get any conditioning into his body for the last three or four weeks. He is at a level now that is hurting him too much. He cannot play at the level he needs to play at.

"Playing in the SANFL - if that is what it needs to be this week - he will do that to gain the conditioning he needs to play at his level as such a good player. He has tried everything he could in the last few weeks to get through the game, but you just need to get some training in (to be fit to play).

"He has tried to play, and play alone -  and that has not helped. He has tried his best to give us what he has. Ultimately, what he is doing is not enough. We need to help him get back into some form."

Rozee was subbed out of the win against West Coast on Sunday to prevent more damage to his hand. He gets the call on the risk of playing this weekend.

"Connor, he is the captain, he gets the choice - and I will trust him to make that decision (later in the week)," Hinkley said.

Port Adelaide has expected the second half of the season to deliver selection headaches with players returning from injury. Instead, the pain has just deepened.

"It's footy, that is what happens," said a pragmatic Hinkley. "Rather deal without (injuries) but we get on with solving the problems.

"Two weeks ago I said we were getting back to our best 'available' list bar Todd Marshall (Achilles). Gee, it has changed quickly ...."

SELECTION: Port Adelaide could - in these circumstances of a high injury count - take the view of using the remaining six home-and-away games for list-management calls. But the long injury list has already given Port Adelaide a test of its depth.

"We will always pick the best team available to give us the best chance to play," Hinkley said. "Our focus will remain on being as good as we can possibly can be every week while the season is alive.

"If you look at the numbers, if Connor Rozee misses, we would have four players who have played every game. That would be the lowest number in the competition.

"We are always exploring the list. We have looked at a lot of youth. There may be one or two we still look at, but that would be based on them giving us the best chance to win."

From SANFL ranks, Port Adelaide has midfielder Jackson Mead to recall and Dylan Williams to recognise from his seven-goal performance against Sturt.

Ruckman Ivan Soldo also is in contention.

APPROACH: "We will aim to do our best against a high-quality team," Hinkley said of the expectation at Alberton this week.

"I just want us to play to our style as best as we possibly can over the next six, seven, eight weeks ..."

BURGOYNE: Hinkley reaffirmed Port Adelaide's league-leading stance on fighting racism after Jase Burgoyne was subjected to vile remarks on social media at the weekend.

"The club has taken a really strong position on this - and for Jase to deal with this is unfair," Hinkley said. "We need to stop this. That is why the club is seeking another way to stop this - legally there must be responsibility (for posting on social media). Someone has to stop it - and we are not going to give up.

"We have always been a leader in this space. This club will always take a big lead in protecting our players."

HORNE-FRANCIS: After playing with a broken foot for the second half against West Coast and surgery on Monday, Horne-Francis returned to Alberton on Wednesday with Hinkley not calling an end to the midfielder's season.

"He was pretty brave the way he got through that game," Hinkley said. "Says  something of his mental strength. We will let him recover and make some assessments as he goes through his rehab."

TRAVIS BOAK: Hinkley expects Port Adelaide's longest-serving player to use as much time as needed to weigh up his future.

"Trav will do what he has done every year - he will take the time to reflect on his form, what he can and can't do and then have the conversation with (list manager) Jason Cripps (and incoming coach) Josh Carr," Hinkley said. "I would not expect that to happen in a hurry."

OPPO WATCH: Much is made of Port Adelaide-Hawthorn encounters, particularly from the dramatic finishes - of one and three points in Port Adelaide's favour - and the post-match events from the semi-final at Adelaide Oval last season.

This is another of Port Adelaide's double-up matches for the season with the first encounter - on April 13 at Adelaide Oval - won by Port Adelaide by 30 points.

This is the first meeting of the clubs at York Park in Launceston since late May 2019.  

"Playing Hawthorn in Launceston is a really big challenge," Hinkley said. "They are almost unbeatable there at times. But we look forward to the challenge. We know if we play the right way, we can challenge them.

"Hawthorn is worthy of being in the top-half of the ladder. They are capable of beating every team in the competition. We know how good they are."

THE RIVALRY: Port Adelaide-Hawthorn games have their own promotional clip today. And Hinkley is quite happy to let the theme develop its own life if it builds anticipation for the match-up.

"Kevin Sheedy (at Essendon) waved his jacket (in victory against West Coast)," recalled Hinkley. "Things go on. It is good for the game.

"I doubt you would find Hawthorn or Port Adelaide have any big issue other than we are competitive and want to beat each other."