On the day Port Adelaide confirmed Warren Tredrea would go into surgery for a shoulder reconstruction, the Power faced the loss of yet another player for the year.

Hard-tackling utility Matt Thomas - best known for his knee-shattering sling of Crow Trent Hentschel in 2006 and a similar effort to concuss Nathan Bassett earlier this year - will consult doctors to determine whether foot stress fractures will put him out to pasture.

Thomas' 2008 has been interrupted by various problems, sidetracking Port's effort to groom him as the resident hard man to replace grizzled veteran Michael Wilson.

Tredrea, meanwhile, will have reconstructive surgery to correct his right shoulder on Friday, keeping him out of full training for six months and away from the running track for three.

Power action man David Rodan said the duo of injuries and losses had caused a depressing mist to fall over Alberton - one the players were fighting to get rid of by season's end.

"Definitely at the moment the boys are hurting. It hasn't been a great year especially compared to last. We had a bit of soul searching to do after the (Fremantle) game, a lot of guys were distraught and pretty depressed," Rodan said.

"There's a lot of doubt that goes within the players, even your key players who you need to be up and about, but what we're trying to keep here is to be really positive. We're doing different events outside football to keep the morale up, and hopefully we get a lot out of the next five weeks, because we're not just throwing it away."

This week the Power meet St Kilda in Melbourne, a match-up that will again test the confidence and skill of young ruckman Fabian Deluca.

Saints pair Steven King and Michael Gardiner will have him covered for both strength and experience, much like Docker Aaron Sandilands last week.

Serving as the scapegoat for the loss to Fremantle, Deluca must show more over the next five weeks.

"I think (Deluca) is doing well, he's played some very good SANFL footy and I think he'll have a good day this week hopefully ... over the next five games you'll see really what Fabian Deluca has to offer," Rodan said.

"(King and Gardiner) will be (strong), they're big boys, a lot bigger than me, but the combination of Brogan and Deluca can helpfully step up. Sandilands is always tough but hopefully Fabian can come up this week and show his critics."

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