AFTER a week of heated debate in the media over who at Carlton had said what about whom and what was meant by what they had said, Bret Thornton played it mercifully straight when he fronted the press on Friday.

Thornton, 27, admitted to being a little bemused by the chain of events that unfolded following Friday night's 47-point win over Melbourne, but that was about as close as he got to commenting directly on the fracas that erupted over the perceived slight on the Demons.

The term 'bruise-free' certainly didn't get a run.

What the 167-game veteran did say about the scrappy opening to the round 10 encounter was that it wasn't good enough.

From his team's perspective, of course.

"Our first half was really disappointing against Melbourne, so we've had a really strong week on the track," Thornton said from Melbourne airport shortly before the team flew out for Adelaide where it will take on the Power.

"We had a slow start last week against Melbourne, so hopefully we can start a bit better in the first half and get on top early.

"We just want to come out hard against Port and put our mark on the game.

"They're one of the best contested footy teams in the comp at the moment under Matty Primus. That's the way that he played, so we're expecting four very tough quarters."

Two of the Blues' six wins this season have come interstate, against Gold Coast and the Sydney Swans, and Thornton said the early Friday departure for Sunday's game was designed to give them the best chance to extend that winning run.

Coach Brett Ratten settled on two changes for the clash with Ed Curnow back from a shoulder injury and Zach Tuohy, who will debut, coming in for Brock McLean, who was omitted, and Jeremy Laidler, who strained a medial ligament against Melbourne.

"It's very unlucky for Brock," Thornton said.

"He missed a lot of footy early in the year, but he [came in and] played a couple of good games.

"In saying that Ed, Curnow has been playing really well, so he deserves to get another chance. That probably just shows the depth of the team at the moment. Everyone's got to play good footy to keep their spot."
 
Thornton will be lining up for his seventh game of the year on Sunday, which is an accomplishment that looked highly unlikely after he and the club attempted to find him a new home during trade week at the end of last season.

After the trade deadline came and went and Thornton was still a Blue, Ratten said the defender would need to add some strings to his bow if he was to play in his team again.

It sounded like an ominous warning at the time, but Thornton took the advice and ran with it.

"Early in the year I asked Ratts if I could play a bit up forward and he duly obliged," he said.

"I do enjoy going forward and kicking a few goals after playing down back for a lot of my career.

"I don't know if I've locked my spot in, but I'm just trying to play good footy each week. There is a lot of depth now. I've probably got a couple of strings to my bow now, so I'm just hoping to help the team out."