PORT ADELAIDE senior coach Ken Hinkley knows the evenness of the AFL competition, and expects the Western Bulldogs to bring their best on Saturday night.
Hinkley says both teams have been a little inconsistent, but expects the Round 15 clash at Adelaide Oval to be ferocious contest.
"The Bulldogs have been very similar to us,” Hinkley said at a press conference on Thursday afternoon.
"They've been up and down a little, but their best is really good. If we both bring our best, it will be a pretty strong, hard, contested game of football.
“They are ferocious around the contest - hopefully we are equally as ferocious as them, and hopefully get on top of them in that spot.”
Hinkley last week was bold at the selection table, sending Justin Westhoff, Paddy Ryder, Sam Powell-Pepper and Jarrod Lienert back the SANFL.
The senior coach said he was tempted to bring back one of the players who was omitted for the Geelong clash, but said it was important they found some form first.
"The right thing to do was to allow the boys to get some form and not rush them in,” Hinkley said.
“Otherwise we'd be sitting there on Saturday night hoping they could get a kick and we might end up back in the same spot.
"I feel like the right decision was to always allow them to get some form before we brought them back.
“It is best to get them back in form and build up their confidence.”
In some further positive news for the club, Matthew Broadbent joined the rest of the playing group at training this morning after time away to deal with his mental health.
“It was a real highlight to have him back around the club today for the first time,” Hinkley said.
“He’s feeling well himself. He felt well enough to do some training and running, he actually did quite a lot of running.
“We don’t put time frames on what’s going to happen in Broady’s space but all we know is we are here to support him and be in his corner.
“When he’s ready, we will be looking forward to him playing again.”
The Power host the Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night, with the game commencing at 7.10pm.
