Port Adelaide is hopeful it can recall forward Daniel Motlop and defender Jacob Surjan for its must-win clash against Brisbane at the Gabba.

Motlop has been out of action since Round 12 with a broken ankle while Surjan missed the Power's game against the Blues with a corked hip.

Both would be valuable inclusions as Motlop adds an 'X-factor' in attack while Surjan has been one of the team's most consistent performers this season.

Port's injury list has Motlop named for another week on the sidelines but it's now or never for the ninth-placed side and they may take the risk.

Midfielder Matt Thomas said the 27-year-old would be a welcome inclusion against the Lions.

"It would be nice to have someone like Mots floating around the forward line. We've missed some of his chasing and athleticism, it would be good in our side at the moment," he said.

The Power will need to make at least one change to its line-up after Josh Carr hurt his ankle in the fourth quarter against the Blues. The former Docker, who survived just 11 minutes of his 200th game, didn't take part in the club's recovery session on Monday and was seen leaving Alberton on crutches.

There might be some other players set to be dumped with questions raised about the team's fitness after they were blown away by Carlton in the final term on Sunday.

Thomas has defended his team-mates and believes it's more likely a 'mental' lapse saw them trail off.

"We've got a lot of guys that can run a good 3k and I think it just comes down to gut running and blokes being up for the challenge," he said.

"Maybe we didn't run both ways as well as we have in the past but I don't think it's through a lack of fitness."

"I think we'd be lying if we said we are not fit enough. So I think it's within ourselves and we've got to bring it out of ourselves and work a bit harder."

Port will head to the Gabba this Saturday as massive underdogs. Thomas said the players would look to draw from their win against the Lions in Round 14 in a hope of causing an upset.

"We haven't been travelling too well and that's something we hope to rectify this week. We've beaten a few teams this year that people probably wouldn't have put their money on and I see this as one game for us that we are going to go into confidently," he said.

"They've got something to play for and so do we so it's going to be a good tussle."

"Psychologically we are still pretty strong, we are a really united group and I think all of us young guys are really trying to make a statement and the older guys are obviously playing for their careers and I think for us we are no different to where we are last week."