Richmond will on Saturday attempt to twist the contested ball knife into a confused Port Adelaide side still searching for the right balance between hard and fair.

Tigers coach Terry Wallace said the Power's weakness at the contests this season was in contrast a strength of his men, allowing them to stay competitive in AFL fixtures against better skilled opponents.

Given Port's recent struggles to add efficient inside ball winning to complement their outside running, there is sure to be plenty of intrigue in the duel of styles at AAMI Stadium.

"In any game of football, if you go after the footy, you're hard enough often enough normally results will go your way, and one of the keys to our game this year has been contested football and we've been very strong in that area," Wallace said.

"Every game you play if you can get a hold of the contested ball you're usually in the games and we've found most of the year we've been competitive in our matches home and away because of that contested part of the game.

"Clearly, they'll want to improve that area of their own game so that'll be one of the challenges for both sides."

Power assistant coach Matthew Primus, in the spotlight after his superior Mark Williams' recent decision to front the media on the Monday after games, said the irrationally aggressive approach seen against Geelong - when Port gave up 33 free kicks - was to be repeated against the Tigers, though hopefully with greater effect on the scoreboard.

"Guys may go over the top," he said.

"But we'd much rather have guys play that way than the other way, and the guys will find a level they are more comfortable with.

"First to the ball you get frees ... it is about our attack on the opposition and we will continue as we did against Geelong at Richmond."

Port's fragility at the pointy end of matches has become a weakness noted and used by coaches at most every three-quarter-time addresses since their round four loss to Brisbane.

But Wallace admitted that on this occasion Williams would be able to highlight that Richmond have lost "unloseable" games also.

"When you have a look, both sides have probably almost lost unloseable games along the way," he said.

"Carlton and Brisbane games will stick in the craw of Port Adelaide, the Bulldogs game we were three goals up with a couple of minutes to play, St Kilda kicking for goal either side of the siren and missing easy shots probably sticks in our craw.

"Either side could be a lot closer to the eight if they'd got those close ones right. It's probably the area last year that Port did right."

A corked thigh is not expected to be any sort of hindrance to Tigers spearhead Matthew Richardson, while Port seem likely to cover for the demotion of Justin Westhoff by giving ruckman Brendon Lade the chance to re-build some confidence up forward.

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