Port Adeaide are wary of the unknown when they confront a rebuilding North Melbourne in their AFL season-opener, defender Tom Clurey says.
The Power enter the Marvel Stadium encounter as hot favourites against a Kangaroos outfit which has drastically overturned their list under new coach David Noble.
"It's a bit of the unknown," Clurey told reporters on Thursday.
"Plenty of turnover on their list and they're a pretty young, raw team.
"What we saw in their trial game, they want to take it on a bit.
"But I think we will just worry about ourselves and hopefully take our preseason form into the weekend."
The Power, who banked two comprehensive trial game wins over lowly Adelaide, are widely tipped as premiership contenders this season after being beaten preliminary finalists last year.
"We have obviously proven that we can be that consistent team ... but last year we got nothing out of it really," Clurey said.
"We proved to ourselves that we're good enough and we can beat any team on our day.
"But it's about putting that forward all year again and it obviously starts this week."
Port on Sunday will give club debuts to ex-Sydney backman Aliir Aliir and former Essendon forward Orazio Fantasia.
And key defender Clurey, who will play his 100th AFL match, said the arrival of Aliir in particular was putting the squeeze on for spots in the backline.
"Obviously with Aliir coming in, that makes it tighter and then with a couple of young boys, Lachie Jones and Miles Bergman, stepping up as well," he said.
"But that is what you need. You need that good competition for spots and we have minimal injuries at the moment, a pretty healthy list ... it's exciting times."
