Only a Grand Final appearance will do for Port Adelaide this year.
That is the opinion of club great Kane Cornes who feels Ken Hinkley’s side is perfectly placed to go at least one better than they did in 2020.
The Power landed themselves a home final by edging the Western Bulldogs by two points on Friday night, putting them in the box seat to advance to this season’s decider.
They have won their last six on the trot and despite not being at their best against the Dogs, are in prime position according to Cornes who sees similarities with the Richmond team of the past few years that timed its run to perfection.
“It has been building nicely for Port Adelaide for the last seven to eight weeks,” he said on SEN Breakfast.
“They finally got all their players back and not just back, they’ve had a good month run in, particularly with those small forwards (Robbie Gray, Connor Rozee and Zak Butters).
“The situation to be able to play at home, they’re in really good form and they’ve timed their run exceptionally well. A little bit like what Richmond have done in the past, where you just start playing your best footy - not that they were at their best on Friday night - in the lead up to the finals.
“It’s an amazing opportunity for them.”
Cornes looked at the manner in which Port secured half a dozen of their 17 victories for the season.
They won six matches by 13 points or under and four matches by four points or under, which is a promising sign for the finals series after last season’s near miss in the prelim.
“That says to me that it’s a great that has been together for four, five or six pre-seasons where throughout the pre-season you go through all those scenarios,” he added.
“Six and zero is a massive difference in games decided by 13 points. It says that they’re a mature group, they’ve done a lot of work together, they’re well coached.
“They’re in a terrific position, particularly on the back of last year where it didn’t go their way in the prelim final.
“So there’s really no excuses not to make the Grand Final, I think that’s a passmark for Port Adelaide.”
The Power will lose exciting young forward Mitch Georgiades to a hamstring injury, but Cornes believes his absence could provided somewhat of a blessing in disguise.
Hinkley already has Charlie Dixon, Todd Marshall and Pete Ladhams operating as tall forwards with another small in Orazio Fantasia set to return this weekend.
“I’m not that concerned about that one, I think four (talls) is too many,” Cornes said.
“I think they were too tall. You’ve got Ladhams, Dixon and Marshall, three’s enough.
“Then you surround them with Rozee, Gray and Fantasia. It’s a better structure with just three talls.”
The Power kick off their finals series against third-placed Geelong in the Second Qualifying Final at the Adelaide Oval this Friday night.
They are the only side of the top eight with a legitimate home ground advantage in the first week of finals.