The formidable task of facing Port Adelaide awaits the Bulldogs on Saturday but Senior Assistant Coach Brett Montgomery sees it more as a chance to gauge progress.  

Port have just two losses this season, while their record at Adelaide Oval stands at six-nil in their favour. 

WATCH: Senior Assistant Coach Brett Montgomery on team selection against Port Adelaide.

“It’s a great opportunity for our guys, it’s another chapter in their footy education,” Montgomery said.

“Port Adelaide over in Adelaide at the moment is the toughest task in footy.

“We’ve got some confidence up at the moment – we’ve been building for a while, we’ve been super competitive, so it’s a good week for us to go over and have a real shot at it.”

The spread of talent across Port Adelaide’s list has stretched a number of teams this season and Montgomery said a full team effort would be required to stall their attack. 

Rather than focusing primarily on limiting names such as Chad Wingard, Travis Boak or Robbie Gray through the middle, the Bulldogs are looking to a more overarching defensive strategy.

“They are a really balanced side, they’ve been stockpiling talent for a number of years now and have done a great job developing it,” he said.

“Now they are well coached and well drilled and well-conditioned, so match ups will be important but the style of game will be really important.”

The Bulldogs have defensively stood up to most sides in the competition in 2014 but last weekend’s win against Collingwood saw them transition more fluently into attack.

Replicating that form and capitalising on their obvious strength inside the contest will be imperative to playing a competitive match against Port Adelaide on Saturday.

“We’ve been building slowly with all three phases of the game and we are happy with the way we are going,” he said.

“Internally it’s been really wise and balanced and composed, it’s a good time [to face Port Adelaide].”