Is there a team as reliant on their top three players as Port Adelaide is on Zak Butters, Jason Horne-Francis and Mitch Georgiades?
In Josh Carr's first season at the helm, the Power have proven surprisingly plucky and would be well in Wildcard Round contention if they were closer to parity in their six games decided by a kick or less.
But with Butters out for the next six weeks with an ankle injury, Horne-Francis sidelined with suspension, and Georgiades concussed, the competition will get a clear look at how well Port Adelaide's structure can deal with the loss of their superstar trio.
Butters and Horne-Francis sit in the top 10 of the AFL Coaches Association Award, and Georgiades is in the top 10 of the Coleman Medal.
“Yeah, it's obviously tough,” Bergman said of the injuries on Wednesday.
“A lot of sore boys and a lot of injured boys are coming in at the start of the week, but we've been driving really hard on having a positive attitude and driving the energy around the club. And with a lot of young boys as well, they bring a lot of energy.
“So I think it's been pretty good this week, and we're just optimistic with all the opportunities we get with new people coming in, new roles played, and that sort of thing. So wherever people get to play and get to move to is pretty exciting.”
Workhorse Willem Drew is set to be one of the more low-profile stand-in captains when he attends the coin toss on Saturday.
Fremantle's immense scoring power and ability to flick a switch are well-known, and you'd have to be a rusted-on Power fan to attend the game expecting to win – though they did pull off one of the upsets of the season against Adelaide three weeks ago.
But showdowns are different beasts. What can they provide from a style point of view, and who will stand up when Fremantle have their run?
Georgiades has held the forward line together, kicking 37 goals this year and taking the best defender, which has allowed second-year teammate Jack Whitlock to quietly average more than a goal per game.
Whitlock will almost certainly get the most attention this week from Alex Pearce, coming off a best afield performance in a finals-like game against Sydney.
It is well-documented that Corey Durdin is in the midst of a career-best season, while Joe Berry has improved, and Joe Richards plays an important conduit role.
But how will they go without the focal point and damaging delivery from the star midfield pair?
The midfield mix, though, is the greatest source of intrigue.
Bergman said on Wednesday he had trained with the midfield group this week and looks set for an important role.
The most logical midfield mix would be Bergman as the game-breaker, supported by Drew and Ollie Wines, with Joe Richards and potentially Jase Burgoyne rotating in.
With Butters likely to leave at the end of the season, it is a glimpse into the future for Port Adelaide fans.
For all of the contract talk that has surrounded Victorian boy Bergman, he is yet to prove he is a midfielder long-term – partially due to injury - despite having the attributes and the Power will need him to be Horne-Francis' right-hand man next year.
Consider this a full-blown dress rehearsal against Caleb Serong, Andy Brashaw, Shai Bolton and co.
Kane Farrell, Logan Evans, Burgoyne and Jackson Mead have all established themselves as core members of the line-up. All have been system-based players.
Does Carr look to unleash one of them as a game-breaker and give them the chance to sink or swim? It would provide important information on their list ahead of next season.
Mead, out of contract at the end of this season, in particular, is one to watch not just this week but for the rest of the season, as the Power will have to balance maintaining enough experience with blooding youth next year.
Only Fremantle, Hawthorn and Adelaide have conceded fewer points than the Power this season, which defend the ground well and deny opposition the opportunity to generate transition.
Aliir Aliir has done an admirable job leading the backline this season, Josh Lai has proven a shrewd acquisition, and many of their teammates are performing above expectations.
But no team has conceded fewer clearances on average per game, which has allowed the backline to set up and limited opponents' ability to expose them one-on-one.
Likewise, Port Adelaide is alongside Fremantle for conceding the fewest inside 50s this season.
Fielding an understrength midfield opens up the likelihood of more isolated matchups, which could expose players and force them to absorb a swathe of entries against the best three-pronged attack in the competition.
The absence of Horne-Francis and Butters will limit their own ball movement, which itself has faltered at times this season and kept opponents in games when they could have put teams away.
In such scenarios, the default is to go long down the line, but they will need to have the bravery to back their way to chip through the wall, given the absence of Georgiades.
For Port Adelaide, Saturday is less about the result and more about learning how the team looks when it can't default to its star trio.
