Had Josh Carr not skipped Port Adelaide for Fremantle four years ago he would have risen to captain the AFL club, according to coach Mark Williams.

As the Power prepared for their first premiership match of the season, a home encounter with Essendon on Sunday, Williams added intrigue to the club captaincy debate by explaining what Carr had missed out on by going to the Dockers to play alongside his brother Matthew.

In doing so, Williams added just a little more spice to the mix for new skipper Dom Cassisi, who was chosen in the off-season ahead of Williams' two preferred candidates - Shaun Burgoyne and Chad Cornes.

Cassisi and Carr are close friends and contemporaries, having both journeyed from Western Australia to play for Port.

"(Carr) was our vice captain, and in my view he would've been captain by now if he was still here," Williams said on Friday.

"That's what he brings to our group, he has all those attributes that a solid captain who's been through our system, development, interstate, played tough, leader on the field, leader off the field.

"He brings a real steadiness to the group, that's what he brings more than anything. He's been there, he's done his time, he's experienced and comes back and says `gee, I know what I was missing'.

"Dom and him are best mates so what a great combination we have there with those two being able to support each other."

Williams' enthusiasm to get Carr back to Port Adelaide was clear from midway through last year when he first began to make noises in public about a reunion, prompting a rebuke from Dockers coach Mark Harvey.

One player who will narrowly miss the cut for Sunday's clash with Essendon is 20-year-old upgraded rookie Wade Thompson.

There remains a slight chance that Port will swing him into the team for the match pending weather conditions and match-ups, given that North Adelaide have the SANFL bye this week.

"He's done everything possible to get in the side," Williams said.

"I just spoke to him about it and there's nothing that we could've ever imagined or hoped for that he hasn't produced for a young player coming from so far back.

"We have a very understanding recruiting and coaching group, and we nurtured this guy and everything we've hoped for he's built on from one experience to the next, understanding what AFL footy is about, how tough it is and the efforts you have to put in."

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