Shaw knocking on Port door

Port Adelaide are considering blooding young WA forward Mason Shaw against the Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval on Saturday to give one of their key forwards a much-needed rest.

Shaw, a 197cm South Fremantle product, is in his second season at the Power after being selected with pick No.30 in the 2012 national draft.

The 20-year-old had appeared on track to play earlier this year after a strong pre-season, but broke a wrist.

But he has now played three successive matches for Port Adelaide in the SANFL, with six goals in a dominant win last weekend convincing officials he is ready to make his AFL debut.

The Power are understood to be keen to rest either spearhead Jay Schulz or the versatile Justin Westhoff ahead of September, with the club already well placed to achieve a top-four finish.

Schulz has been the club's leading goal kicker this year with 35 majors, but is now 29 and is likely to benefit from being freshened up with a week's break.

Westhoff is one of nine other Port players not to have missed a match this year.

Shaw has been compared to Westhoff because of his ability to cover territory rather than play as a stay-at-home forward.

"He does cover the ground really well and he's got a great pair of hands and he's got a good kick on him," Schulz said earlier this year. "And he's quite a smart footballer. He's going to be a good player for us."

John Butcher booted three goals in the same SANFL win, but appears to have slipped behind Shaw in the pecking order.

Touted as a potential top-10 pick, Shaw was drafted in the second round in 2012 after missing two months with a fractured cheekbone. His AFL debut is expected to come in the next three weeks even if he is overlooked to face the Bulldogs.

The Power are likely to make one forced change this week, with Hamish Hartlett battling to recover in time from a rolled ankle sustained in last Saturday's loss to Sydney. Jared Polec (ankle) is a chance to return.