PORT ADELAIDE ruckman Matthew Lobbe remains in doubt for the important clash against Hawthorn at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.

The young ruckman, who has been in outstanding form this season, injured his calf in the victory over GWS in Round 7 and remains only an outside chance to play to regain his place in the side.

Lobbe is listed as being one week away from returning on the club’s official injury list, but Port Adelaide high performance manager Darren Burgess hasn’t ruled him out.

“Hopefully Matt Lobbe will be ready to go against the Hawks,” he told the club’s website.

The predicament for the Power is that if Lobbe isn’t declared fit, they’ll need to again rely on former Hawk Brent Renouf to be the number one ruckman, given Jarrad Redden is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Renouf has played one game this season, in Port Adelaide’s last game before the bye, against Fremantle and Adelaide Oval.

With Hawthorn’s Ben McEvoy and David Hale one of the most damaging ruck partnerships in the competition, Renouf and Jackson Trengove will have their work cut out for them although they performed admirably against Fremantle.

Port Adelaide’s rise this season though, has been on the back of the improvement of Lobbe in the ruck and his ability to be a reliable ruckman for them.

Before last weekend’s bye, the Power were ranked ninth overall for clearances and third for centre clearances before the bye, Port Adelaide’s ability to win the midfield battle has been on the back of Lobbe’s development in 2014.

Before this season, the ruck situation at Port Adelaide was a rolling mantle, with neither Lobbe, nor Jarrad Redden or Brent Renoud able to lock down the number one mantle with consistent, impressive performances.

But the story has been much different this year, with Lobbe ranked ninth overall in the competition for hit outs, averaging 27.9 per game plus 2.7 clearances and 1.3 centre clearances.

He is ranked fifth in both categories at his club.

His value though, isn’t just in his ruck and stoppage work but also in his ability to win the ball around the ground. Lobbe averages 10.1 disposals and is ranked third at the club for tackles.

He has also kicked four goals this year, two of which came against the big win over Geelong in Round 6, where he was one of the best afield.

The Power will also be without impressive young defender Tom Jonas, who will miss with a groin injury.