When Josh Carr returned to Port Adelaide after four years at Fremantle, no-one would have dared predict the "showdown specialist" not being chosen for either game against Adelaide.

Yet that is exactly the scenario facing Carr this week, as he finds himself fighting numerous teammates for a recall to the Power's 22 to face the Crows at AAMI Stadium on Saturday.

Despite a matchless record in the contests played between 2000 and 2004, Carr was dropped from Port's team for the early season showdown in round six, before fighting his way back into the side.

Omitted again for Port's 36-point defeat of West Coast, Carr played serviceably for Glenelg in the SANFL, but will now be jostling with the likes of Troy Chaplin, Peter Burgoyne, Matt Thomas and Hamish Hartlett.

The long absent Shaun Burgoyne may even push for selection if he can train fully after an extended break to ease bone bruising in his knee.

Further complicating matters for Carr and the Power is that the youngsters played against the Eagles, including debutant Matthew Broadbent, Nick Salter, Jason Davenport and Paul Stewart, all did sterling jobs.

Davenport vied with captain Dom Cassisi for best afield honours, showing the value of employing young and hungry players among a sprinkling of older heads.

"It is going to be a tough call, match committee's Thursday and it's going to be a harder selection than what we've had in the past because we've got so many good players ready to come back into the team," Cassisi said on Monday.

"It's good for the team, everyone's fighting for a spot and everyone's on edge, which is a good thing and the young guys who played on the weekend did a really good job.

"If it's unfortunate that a few of them do miss out then the guys coming in have got to make sure they come in with the effort and intensity the young guys brought to us on the weekend.

"Carry has a really good history of playing in showdowns, but match committee is on Thursday and we all know what he can bring to the side if he wants to get a game, he'd bring toughness and he loves the big stage in the showdowns, so on Thursday we'll know if he's going to play or not."

Cassisi expressed no reservations about the prospect of Shaun Burgoyne coming straight back into the side despite his lay-off.

"Shaun's a class player so if he gets through all the training this week you'd think he'd probably come back into the team because he gives us great flexibility," Cassisi said.

"He could spend a bit of time in the midfield and centre bounces and he could also go forward or back.

"Shaun's a vice captain of our club so he'd know he has to come in and give everything he's got.

"We'd have to manage his gametime to look after him a little bit if he did come in and play."

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