KEN HINKLEY has lived a clear-cut philosophy since the revival began at Port Adelaide in 2013 - "Never give up". It is the spirit that will drive his team seeking a rebound in the home semi-final against the more-favoured Hawthorn at Adelaide Oval on Friday night.
"There is something about our club that we do not like to give up," said Hinkley on Thursday morning before the captain's run at Alberton Oval. "We have always been that way - and we will continue to be that way.
"That is something this club has instilled over its history (since 1870)."
Port Adelaide is seeking to maintain an AFL trend that has teams respond from heavy defeats in qualifying finals - such as last week's 84-point belting from Geelong at Adelaide Oval. Since the current final-eight system was introduced in 2000, 11 teams have lost qualifying finals by 50 points or more - and have rebounded with semi-final wins.
Port Adelaide's response to the 79-point home loss to Brisbane in June - with a gritty and emotional away win against St Kilda in the Docklands in Melbourne - also is a strong pointer to the character of Hinkley's squad.
While Port Adelaide has been subject to inevitably tough reviews of its performance against Geelong, the objective at Alberton this week has been to find the path to the preliminary final in Sydney on Friday week.
"We have the opportunity to play in a semi-final that gives us the opportunity to play in a preliminary final - so it has been pretty easy to keep our focus on what we have to do this week," said Hinkley.
"We don't need to be distracted by anything ... It is about this week's performance.
"We have solely focussed on this week. Not on what might happen (after the game is played). We have to focus on what we can control - and for us, we can control how we prepare for this week. I feel we have had a really strong preparation and we absolutely understand the opposition we are coming up against. We are ready to have a go at it."
SELECTION: Port Adelaide's semi-final squad will be announced on Thursday evening.
Options at match committee include restructuring the attack.
"At the moment we have a decision to make on whether we play or don't play Todd Marshall," said Hinkley of the specialist forward who was subbed out of the August 10 match against Melbourne at the MCG by concussion protocols. "We will make that decision this afternoon.
"If we make that decision (to play Marshall), then clearly he is (match ready). We all know and understand what Todd is capable of at his absolute best. He has not had a great run this year to be at his absolute best. So, we have to make that decision ..."
Selection will be based on needs against Hawthorn rather than solely a reaction to the loss in the qualifying final.
"We are looking at how we get the best advantage over Hawthorn," Hinkley said. "And Hawthorn would be doing exactly the same about us ... they will be trying to figure out how they get the best advantage over us.
"We are focussed on how we beat the opposition."
TALL OR SMALL: Hawthorn has lost a key defender with Sam Frost ruled out for the rest of the major round with a foot injury. Does this create the chance for that advantage Port Adelaide is seeking at selection by loading up with four big options in attack with Marshall, Charlie Dixon, Esava Ratugolea and the team's leading goalkicker this season, Mitch Georgiades?
"I don't think so," Hinkley said.
"Is it more appealing (for Hawthorn) when we don't have Dan Houston or Kane Farrell for them to play more smaller forwards?
"At this time of the year you play your best people who give you the best chance to win. Both teams will be trying to do that."
REBOUND: Moving forward has required dealing with the Geelong loss - rather than just dismissing the hefty margin as an aberration.
"You always reflect when it does not go the way you want it. You are looking for answers ... we know we got it badly wrong last week," Hinkley said.
"Our biggest reflection from last week is - you have to be ready to go from the very start at this time of the year against every team. If you don't have your contest level at the required level you are going to get into trouble - and everything else can fall down very quickly."
LAST TIME: It was mid-season - May 19 at Adelaide Oval - when Port Adelaide overcame a 28-point deficit at the last change (after being 41 points down during the third term) and won by one point on achieving the lead for the first time on Darcy Byrne-Jones' goal.
"The last game does not mean much at all," said Hinkley of the carry from that match.
TARGET: Port Adelaide vice-captain Zak Butters will play - after taking heavy knocks to his ribs in the home-and-away season closer against Fremantle in Perth and being subbed out at half-time in the qualifying final.
Hinkley had a clear message for Hawthorn should it be planning to target the All-Australian midfielder: "Go for it.
"Zak is a tough player, a really tough player. He won't take a step backwards.
"Zak is an incredibly tough player. He is judged as the most courageous player in the competition in the past two years - by his peers. That is a pretty strong recommendation."
NOISE: Few are short of burning ears from the criticism after the qualifying final. This includes captain Connor Rozee after his 16-touch count against Geelong in the qualifying final.
"It is part of the journey when you don't perform. We all get criticised, whether that be that be Connor, me, Zak ... whoever," Hinkley said. "It is about the collective, the whole group cops the criticism ... and some individuals get more."
The fall-out from the qualifying final includes questions on key forward Charlie Dixon after his three-disposal work in be qualifying final - and Hinkley's use of midfielder Jason Horne-Francis, in particular starting him on the bench.
"Charlie will always be in the right mindset. That is not an issue - he is a strong competitor so he will be fine," Hinkley said of Dixon.
"Seven weeks in a row (Horne-Francis has started on the bench) ... does not mean he will be there this week."
PYSCHE: Physically, the Port Adelaide players were tuned for a tougher approach to contests at training on Tuesday. The task above the shoulders for the mental approach to the game is constant.
"There is always a balance on all phases (of preparation)," Hinkley said.
"We had to move our players on quickly - and we did. We came in on Saturday to get ready (for the semi-final). We moved on from the Geelong game and focussed on Hawthorn. And at this time of the year you don't lose percentage, you don't have ladder positions but we do have another opportunity (with the double chance from ranking second) - and we earned that.
"But this week we have to get it right."
RECORD BOOKS: Ken Hinkley takes his AFL career tally of games coaches at Port Adelaide to 273 - equal with Mark Williams' count from 1999-2010. Again, Hinkley has not dwelled on the past.
"You reflect on those things after your career ... and hopefully there are a lot more to go," said Hinkley who is contracted to coach at Alberton next season.
The external questions of how that contract is honoured are based on the challenge faced by all at Alberton to advance to the club's first AFL grand final since 2007.
"We cannot change the (external) narrative until we change the result," Hinkley said.
