PORT ADELAIDE has promised to respect Richmond but not be intimidated by its Preliminary Final opponent, when the sides meet at Adelaide Oval on Friday night.

Port will go in as a slight favourite in most betting markets but many pundits will back the Tigers because of their status as the reigning premier and their experience in big finals.

At a press conference on Monday, Port Adelaide captain Tom Jonas explained he liked the idea of being considered an underdog but remained firm that his side had what it takes to win the big game.

“Despite beating them earlier in the year and finishing top, they’ve got the runs on the board over the last three years,” Jonas said.

“At the same time, we’re well aware that we’ve played a lot of good footy this year and we completely back in our game plan and the way we go about things and we definitely shouldn’t play second fiddle or be intimidated by them.

“I think it’s more you’ve got to respect what they’ve done and acknowledge that but then focus on our game.

“There’s obviously a lot of great players in their team and they’ve performed on the big stage pretty well for a long time so you acknowledge that but then you focus on yourselves.”

Much has been made of Richmond having some players missing when the sides met in Round 11 and Port won by 21 points, although the Power was missing some personnel that night as well.

Jonas said the Tigers were still a strong unit and he expected the same on Friday night.

“That was a quintessential Richmond side and they played their same style,” he said.

“Yeah, there were a few people missing but the bones are the same and we like to think we’ve improved as a team in that time as well.”

Having enjoyed sat top of the ladder for the entire 2020 season and after enjoying a week off after winning straight through to the Preliminary Final, some will say there is an expectation the Port Adelaide will book a spot in the Grand Final.

Jonas explained that there was no greater expectation than what the group had of itself.

“At Port Adelaide, we expect to win the Premiership every year and we know that’s not always the reality but internally, we have the same expectation,” he said.

“We want to go as far as we can and we’ve put in a mountain of work this year so we wouldn’t want to see it go to waste.

“We’ll be going out there with the expectation that we play a style of footy that delivers us the result.”

Jonas will lead a less experienced and slightly more youthful side onto Adelaide Oval than his Richmond counterpart Trent Cotchin, but the 29-year-old has no concerns about his team’s ability to deal with the big occasion.

“We’ve got that great balance of youth and excitement and blokes that just aren’t afraid,” he explained.

“Those young boys just go out there and play their natural games and then we’ve got the experienced boys so if things do get tight, they know exactly what to do and they can give some direction.

“But having won that Qualifying Final in a big game also gives you some confidence as well.”