Port Adelaide coach Matthew Primus says Saturday night’s home clash with Carlton will tell whether his AFL side has turned the proverbial corner.
The Power enter the AAMI Stadium encounter after winning consecutive games for the first time since 2010.
But Primus was wary about placing too much stock in wins over North Melbourne and Gold Coast, knowing a truer test awaited against the sixth-placed Blues and then Hawthorn the following week.
“Saturday night will tell,” Primus told reporters on Friday when asked if Port had turned the corner.
“We have been better … (but) we are under no illusions we have still got a lot of work to do with how we need to play.
“Are we able to go toe-to-toe with a real good quality opposition for four quarters? Are we able to maintain a contested style of footy that we want to play against a very good team for the whole match?
“It is a big couple of weeks for us and it’s a great challenge to test ourselves against some of the best teams, and it will give us an indication of where we sit.”
Primus said the successive victories, which halted a six-game losing streak, had raised the spirits of Port players.
“They’re looking forward to playing one of the best teams in the comp – they’re feeling good about themselves,” he said.
“We have been able to not make too many changes again for the second week in a row.
“We’re looking to see if we can get a big scalp – that is the challenge I have set them.”
Port dropped utility Daniel Stewart and recalled novice ruckman Jarrad Redden, with Primus mindful of the dangers presented by Carlton’s talls.
“We want to have a look at two rucks and see if we can sustain a bit more competitiveness around the stoppages,” he said.
“We don’t know whether it will work but we think it might just help (lead ruck Brent) Renouf retain the rage a bit longer.”