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PORT Adelaide interim coach Garry Hocking is confident the club will win its appeal against Hamish Hartlett's two-match suspension on Tuesday night.
Hartlett was involved in an off-the-ball altercation with Hawthorn's Cyril Rioli in Launceston on Sunday, in the middle of the ground.
Rioli was left doubled over and winded and Hawks captain Luke Hodge remonstrated with Hartlett at quarter time.
Despite behind-the-goal footage not clearly showing what actually happened between the two, the Match Review Panel charged Hartlett with a level three striking offence resulting in a two game suspension.
[ Related: Details of the charge ]
But Hocking said it was Rioli who instigated the contact and that the Power were confident Hartlett would be able to face West Coast at AAMI Stadium on Sunday.
"It shows that Cyril's initiated the contact, so that'll be all played out [on Tuesday night], we feel like we've got a really strong case, we've had a really good look at it," Hocking said.
"We've looked at Cyril's argument, we've looked at Hamish's and feel that we need to go in and fight and support and have Hamish play (this) week."
Although the Power outscored Hawthorn in the first and third quarters on Sunday, they were crushed by the Hawks' 19 goals in the second and final terms.
The 72-point final margin was the Power's worst loss of the season.
While Hocking maintained he didn’t know whether he wanted the top job at Port next season, he denied he needed to win at least once this year to keep his chances alive of landing the coaching role.
"I said right at the start it wasn't a win/loss charter, it's just about re-focusing the group, getting them to play a really strong brand, competitive style of football," he said.
"We showed bits and pieces of that on the weekend and we'll continue to push the non-negotiables going forward."
[ Related: Round 20 injury update ]
With several players out of contract at the end of the season, including Danyle Pearce, Travis Boak and Troy Chaplin, the Power's list is set for dramatic change.
Earlier in the season former coach Matthew Primus said the club would play a significant role in October's free agency period and trade week to continue to build its list into one that could eventually play finals football.
But Hocking said he hadn't thought about what players his side needed to make significant improvement in 2013.
"That's a decision that probably the new coach will come in and have a look at, in regards to the list and what he wants to do," Hocking said.
"That's the charter of a new coach to come in and see what sort of style of play he wants to play and then assess the list and see if those players can achieve that style of play.
"It's not my charter at the moment."
Harry Thring covers Port Adelaide news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Harry.
