Port Adelaide players are too honest to get big heads from their new-found respect in the AFL, coach Ken Hinkley says.
The long-time easybeats are attracting open admiration after downing reigning premiers Sydney last weekend and climbing into the top eight.
Port host Collingwood on Saturday with Magpies defender Nathan Brown saying his club’s appreciation for the Power has grown.
“We really rate Sydney,” Brown told reporters in Melbourne on Friday.
“They absolutely demolished us at the MCG a couple of weeks back, so for a team to beat them, we obviously really rate Port now.
“We always did (rate Port), but to do what they did last week – they’re obviously a good team in big form.”
First-year coach Hinkley has steered Port to eighth spot with seven wins, but said there was no chance of his players getting carried away.
“They know they have got to turn up and work hard,” Hinkley told reporters in Adelaide on Friday.
“I think they have shown that pretty well all year.
“Barring that one quarter up in Darwin when we were pretty poor (in a loss to the Bulldogs), over the course of the whole year we have been a really honest group.”
Hinkley recalled captain Travis Boak after missing one match with a dislocated finger and also key backman Jackson Trengove, who hasn’t played since round five because of a foot injury.
“Boaky is an easy one, he has only missed one game and he has been in great form so we would always put him straight back in the side as quick as we possibly could,” Hinkley said.
“And Jackson, the same. In lots of ways, he’s a real leader of the football club.
“He certainly leads the way with aggression and intensity at the contest and we really have missed him for a period of time.
“For three weeks now we have seen he’s ready to go, he’s wanting to get in the contest.”
Hinkley said the threat of Magpie tall forward Travis Cloke was a “big part” in Trengove’s recall for the twilight encounter.
The Magpies will be without defender Ben Reid (hamstring) and ruckman Darren Jolly (toe) but have crafted a versatile, deep squad – evidenced by holding seventh position despite losing Jolly, Luke Ball, Dayne Beams, Dale Thomas and skipper Nick Maxwell for substantial periods.