Jared Polec was wondering if he made the right decision to join Port Adelaide during the pre-season but now the former Brisbane Lions midfielder can’t wait to take part in Saturday’s preliminary final against Hawthorn.

Polec was drafted to the Brisbane Lions in 2010 but was one of several high draftees who wanted a new home for 2014 and the 21-year-old hard-running wingman elected to return to South Australia and join Port Adelaide.

Coach Ken Hinkley and strength and conditioning guru Darren Burgess certainly didn’t make his life easy then in pre-season, but that hard work instilled the physical capabilities and mental strength that was on show against Fremantle in the first semi-final on Saturday night.

Port Adelaide fell 31 points down at Patersons Stadium in the second quarter but then delivered a stunning second half to end up winning by 22 and advance to this Saturday’s preliminary final against Hawthorn at the MCG.

Polec again stepped up with 17 possessions including the game’s last goal and while the pre-season was tough, he never doubted that it would hold him in good stead long-term.

“It was my first pre-season so I was just lucky enough to get through it,” Polec said.

“It was pretty tough and Kenny asks a lot of us boys and the boys look up to him, and we just do what he says because we know it will be the right thing to do.”

Given Port Adelaide was the basket case of the AFL as recently as 2012 before the arrival of David Koch as chairman and Hinkley as coach, there is no reason that Polec and his teammates don’t give themselves every chance of upsetting Hawthorn and reaching a grand final.

“We just have to get the recovery right for next week. It’s a big challenge but we are up for it and ready to go,” Polec said.

“We are ready for the challenge. We will face up to them and hopefully get a win.”