PORT Adelaide is not in the same class as the League's best, says coach Ken Hinkley, and it won't be until it can better handle pressure situations.

There was plenty Hinkley liked about his side's performance against the Sydney Swans on Saturday night and he praised its competitiveness against a side that sits equal on points at the top of the ladder.

But what separated the Power from the Swans and the likes of Geelong, Hawthorn and Fremantle, was their ability to perform when the heat was on.

Too often on Saturday Port's players panicked and made poor decisions or failed to capitalise on opportunities in front of goal.

"We're not a long way away, but we're not good enough to be with the best," Hinkley said.

"Some of the numbers are pretty positive for us…but if you looked at the game you'd say there were just key moments where Sydney…were able to handle crucial moments well.

"There's probably eight or 10 crucial moments that I think Sydney probably won seven out of 10.

"Those 10 moments in games, we're still going seven and three or eight and two and until we can get that to five and five, then get it to six and four in our favour, we're going to give good accounts of ourselves but we're not going to win."

They're not there yet, but Hinkley said such encounters with the competition's very best were crucial in the development of the Power.

But he said in order to improve each time, the playing group had to listen to the entire message it was being told – even the parts that might prove difficult to hear.

"You've got to experience it and we've had some great opportunities to experience it," he said.

"Twice this year against Sydney where we've had to experience it and we'll learn, and that's the key message to the boys – you've got to keep learning.

"Part of learning is you have to listen really well and you've got to hear all the message and not just the parts that sound good."

Having won just two of its last eight games, and with the congestion in the top eight only worsening, next weekend's match against Gold Coast shapes as another important match up.

Hinkley said the Suns were a dangerous prospect, particularly at home.

But he tipped speedy wingman Matt White to return to the line-up from a groin injury as well as midfielder Aaron Young from a foot issue.