Fremantle coach Ross Lyon has declared Matt Taberner a certain starter for Saturday night’s AFL semi-final clash with Port Adelaide in Perth, but ruckman Zac Clarke could be chopped.

Taberner tallied just five possessions and dropped a simple mark in the goalsquare during last week’s 24-point qualifying final loss to Sydney.

The 197cm spearhead had been in strong form during the lead-up to the finals, and Lyon said he was keen to keep the 21-year-old in the side.

“He’s playing, so you can lock that in, unless something goes awry,” Lyon said.

“He’s the future.”

Clarke emerged as a major force last season during the lengthy injury absence of Aaron Sandilands, but the 24-year-old has struggled at times this year.

Lyon said he would consider recalling Jon Griffin or Jack Hannath in place of Clarke.

“We’ve spoken to Zac. He knows he is under pressure,” Lyon said.

“Zac has done alright, but he’s just been a bit up and down.”

Lyon predicted bright futures for both Clarke and Taberner, but said it would take time for them to develop into bona fide stars.

“You’ve got to understand that they are young players,” Lyon said.

“Everyone wants to hang Taberner out – he’s a second-year player.

“Zac is a 203cm young basketballer who came in skinny.

“It takes a long time to become an Aaron Sandilands type ruckman and a Matthew Pavlich type forward.

“I would suggest he (Clarke) has grown, but at the end of the day you get to the pointy end (of the season) and you can’t always wait.”

Matt de Boer and Nick Suban are in line to replace injured goalsneak Hayden Ballantyne (broken jaw), while the Power are hopeful speedster Matt White can recover from his own broken jaw.