This article originall appeared on afl.com.au

WHEN Port Adelaide is flying, Travis Boak and Robbie Gray are playing well. In coach Ken Hinkley's eyes, the former has never played better.

He's pretty happy to have Gray 'back', too.

That's some sort of call about Boak, a dual All Australian (2013-14), former captain and 2011 best and fairest.

Hinkley knows it, as he acknowledged when he made the comment while sitting next to the midfield jet.

"He's going okay. He's going okay. I'm not sure I've seen him better," Hinkley said with a smile after his side's 70-point crushing victory over St Kilda.

"I'm sorry Trav, but I'm not sure I've seen him play better.

"He's been an All Australian, he's been a great player for this footy club, but I'm just agreeing with (the question)."

After a couple of quiet years, the 30-year-old has silenced the doubters, averaging 32 disposals in a stellar campaign.

Then there's Gray, who's been through a bit but was sublime on Sunday afternoon at Adelaide Arena at Jiangwan Stadium in Shanghai, China.

"Rob's battled through a fair bit this year. Jokingly, we said it was good to have Robbie back, for the first time for the year almost," Hinkley said.

"He's had some challenges, the poor bugger. He's had an AC (joint injury), a broken hand, he's got a history of a bad knee.

"It was great to have him play such a good game today, and alongside his best mate.

"You'll notice, when they play together, you can almost know who to go to when Boak gets the ball or when Gray gets the ball … they're the new Krakouer brothers of the competition, Boak and Gray."

The praise didn't end there, with a backman-turned-midfielder receiving his coach's approval.

"Dan Houston's been in unbelievably good form for, I'd say the better part of two footy seasons now," Hinkley said.

Port finished with 22.7 (139), its highest tally since round six, 2017, against Brisbane. "We haven't kicked 100 for a while but I think we've played in eight or nine wet games this year. We've kicked 80 or 90 points pretty consistently," Hinkley said.

Poor starts had been an issue. The Power had gone goalless in the opening quarter three times in their previous four games before bagging five in the first term against the Saints. For Boak, the limp beginnings came down to one factor.

"We were disappointed the intensity and the urgency wasn't there," Boak said.

On his own form, the former skipper was reticent to answer whether he was in career-best touch.

"I'm enjoying my footy. It's probably the most I've enjoyed my footy, and that's at least partly to do with some of the stuff I've put in, but the group we've got now, there's just so much excitement around this playing group and so much energy," Boak said.