Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has confirmed injured key defenders Alipate Carlile and Jackson Trengove will miss up to three AFL matches.

Carlile (hamstring) and Trengove (ankle) were hurt in Sunday’s Showdown loss to Adelaide.

“They probably won’t play for two or three weeks,” Hinkley told Channel Seven’s Talking Footy.

“That’s going to leave a significant hole for us, but it’s one (where) we think we have some ready personnel.”

Tom Clurey and Cam O’Shea are set to take their places in the side for Saturday night’s home game against Essendon.

Hinkley said Clurey and O’Shea had shown strong form in Port’s SANFL side.

“The key ingredient for them is that after (those) two or three weeks, they demand to stay in the (senior) side,” Hinkley said.

Sunday’s loss cost Port top spot, while the Bombers are one game outside the top eight after they lost to Geelong last Friday night by nine points.