Port Adelaide have again dumped experienced utility Steven Salopek, while forward Brett Ebert remains on the outer at the AFL club.

Salopek and Ebert were not in Port's 23-strong squad travelling to Darwin for Saturday night's fixture against Richmond.

The Power, languishing in last spot on the ladder, broke from their norm and left for Darwin a day earlier than usual.

Salopek, who resisted a return to his native Melbourne last season, had played only five games this year and gathered just six disposals in last weekend's loss to Fremantle.

Ebert is one of seven Power players, with more than 100 games experience, to be dropped this year by coach Matthew Primus.

"He is a required player at the club. I had a good chat with Steven in the pre-season to get him to sign with us for two more years," Primus said on Thursday.

"He has got some areas of his game that we want him to work on and we need him to go back (to the SANFL) and work on that so he becomes a consistent player.

"But that will happen pretty soon with Sal. He's a pretty determined guy and we see him as part of our future.

"It is hard for anyone getting dropped, but we have got to make it clear what standards need to be set on a weekly basis and that is why this year we have had a few changes in our team.

"Our senior players are crucial to our ongoing success, not only this year but in coming years, and we have got to work hard to get them in some good form."

Primus recalled forwards Cameron Hitchcock and Jason Davenport, while hoping a change in routine for their Darwin trip brought a second win of the season.

"We are going up a bit earlier. We will have a proper training session up there tonight under lights," Primus said.

"We will get to the ground later than we normally do (on Saturday) just to try and break up our normal routine to see if it can help in any little way to get us a win.

"It is totally different to what we have done before."

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