Port Adelaide assistant coach Tyson Goldsack has provided insight into the recovery timeline of key defender Aliir Aliir and the reasoning behind the selection call for star Jason Horne-Francis ahead of the Power's critical clash against Sydney this weekend.

Aliir was named as a test to play in the injury update earlier this week after suffering a knee injury against the Demons, but was not selected in the Power's squad for Saturday.

Meanwhile, Horne-Francis was dealt with a sore shoulder following a fend off in the last quarter against the Demons, but has a reduced load has seen the 21-year-old get through the week, with "pain management" the biggest concern for the Swans clash.

BALLARAT, AUSTRALIA - MAY 03: Jason Horne-Francis of the Power takes possession of the ball during the round eight AFL match between Western Bulldogs and Port Adelaide Power at Mars Stadium, on May 03, 2025, in Ballarat, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)
BALLARAT, AUSTRALIA - MAY 03: Jason Horne-Francis of the Power takes possession of the ball during the round eight AFL match between Western Bulldogs and Port Adelaide Power at Mars Stadium, on May 03, 2025, in Ballarat, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)

โ€œHe's had a lean week. He had some treatment during the week that should see him play okay with, so we tried a couple of things at training," Goldsack said on Horne-Francis.

"We didn't want him to get too much contact and irritate it any more than we needed to. But yeah, he's pretty confident. He's feeling good and he'll be right to play.

"It's just pain management for whether or not he can deal with it, whether or not he can perform.

"It's not so much whether he's got to re-injure it, to a level that's going to see him out for a while. It's just whether or not you can perform at the level required. And we know he's a combative type player, so for him, it's managing pain more than anything else.

"He came back in really good order from his previous injury. And now this is different to that which is, which is a blessing in one sense. But you like a 100 per cent fit Jason Horne-Francis."

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 08: Aliir Aliir of Port Adelaide celebrates at full time during the round four AFL match between Sydney Swans and Port Adelaide Power at Sydney Cricket Ground, on April 08, 2023, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/AFL Photos/via Getty Images )

Goldsack said that Aliir, who won't play this week, would also still be "touch-and-go" for Port Adelaide's Thursday night Round 16 match against the Blues.

โ€œIt's actually a previous injury that he (Aliir) had that he's just irritated," Goldsack said.

"So we have a five-day turnaround coming up after this game, so it'll be, I'd say, touch-and-go for next week against Carlton, but we'll wait and see.โ€ 

The Swans have their own returning star troops from injury, with Errol Gulden and Tom Papley among four inclusions for Sydney.

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 30: Errol Gulden of the Swans in action during the round 16 AFL match between Sydney Swans and Geelong Cats at Sydney Cricket Ground on June 30, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Jason McCawley/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

Goldsack said the Power won't take the Swans lightly despite having the wood over them in 2025, especially with regards to the talent coming back in.

โ€œYeah, on paper, they look really good. We don't know at what level they can perform with their first game back, Gulden and Papley in particular, and Amartey's missed a chunk of footy," Goldsack said.

"They're really good players, and if they all have a day, they're going to be hard to stop. But at the same time, we're in pretty good form, so we'll take all comers and whoever they want to line up against us, we're happy to take them on.

"We've got a pretty good history outside of the prelim last year against Sydney. So we're hoping for a pretty good showing and a good battle.โ€ 

 Saturday, June 21 
Sydney WON BY 19 POINTS
Adelaide Oval
PORT   
52
FT
71
   SYD