It’s a formidable challenge for any team to play Fremantle right now.

But taking on the best side in football without arguably your best four players? That seems like Mission: Impossible.

It’s the unenviable position Port Adelaide find themselves in ahead of Saturday’s home date with the Dockers, with the struggling Power smashed by injuries and suspension heading into the clash.

Already without star skipper Connor Rozee (hamstring), Port are set to lose fellow midfield ace Zak Butters to a high-grade syndesmosis injury and gun spearhead Mitch Georgiades to concussion as they count the cost of their loss to St Kilda. That trio finished in the top three of Port Adelaide’s best-and-fairest count last year.

To add to the carnage, Jason Horne-Francis was on Sunday hit with a one-match suspension for a bump on Liam Stocker that Match Review Officer Michael Christian graded as careless with high contact and medium impact. The Power will on Sunday night weigh up whether to fight the ban.

Butters and Horne-Francis sit sixth and ninth respectively on the leaderboard for the AFL Coaches Association’s Champion Player Award, while Georgiades entered the weekend having kicked at least one goal in his past 38 matches - the league’s longest active streak.

The Power’s woes don’t stop there. Lachie Jones suffered a rib issue and Jack Lukosius had a knee complaint during the loss to the Saints, while Port remain without injured first-choice players Esava Ratugolea and Sam Powell-Pepper as they scramble to put together a competitive side.

“It obviously doesn’t excuse our first half,” Power coach Josh Carr said of his side’s big injury toll from Saturday. “It is what it is.”

In contrast to the Power’s availability woes, Fremantle will have selection issues of a different kind as they weigh up potential returns for Hayden Young and Sean Darcy for the road trip.

Darcy could be recalled after being managed in the win over Sydney, where his replacement Mason Cox was impressive, while Young could be passed fit following his minor groin setback.

A Fremantle win combined with a loss for the Western Bulldogs against Gold Coast would mathematically secure the Dockers’ spot in the top six.

The Dockers are hunting their fifth straight win in South Australia, having snared two victories there last year and recording back-to-back triumphs at Adelaide Oval earlier this season against the Crows and Magpies.