Fremantle Dockers’ finals plight irrelevant to Port Adelaide coach Hinkley ahead of Optus Stadium clash

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Fremantle Dockers’ finals plight irrelevant to Port Adelaide coach Hinkley ahead of Optus Stadium clash

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley is ignoring Fremantle’s finals permutations ahead of Sunday’s fixture in Perth.

Hinkley says it’s too dangerous to do otherwise ahead of the last match of the AFL’s home-and-away season.

Port will likely retain second spot with a win over the Dockers, who are relying on other results to fall their way to have a sniff of reaching the playoffs.

By the time the teams run on to Optus Stadium, Freo – who enter the round in ninth spot just two premiership points shy of eighth spot – will know their fate.

Fremantle need Hawthorn, Carlton or the Western Bulldogs to lose to have a chance of making the finals – which Hinkley says is irrelevant to Port.

“We will prepare like we have every other week for this game, to make sure we bring our best and play our best available people to hopefully stay in really good form,” he said.

Camera IconFremantle’s finals plight is irrelevant to Port Adelaide, according to coach Ken Hinkley. Credit: Jason McCawley/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

“That’s all we’re going to focus on.

“I have been really strong on that with the whole group, and for everyone, that we stay in the moment.

“The moment is we’ve got to play Fremantle, a really good team, on their home deck.”

Hinkley will also know by first bounce if the Power need a win to lock second spot and a home qualifying final.

If GWS lose to the Western Bulldogs earlier Sunday, and Geelong fail to make up a large chunk of percentage by beating West Coast, the Power can’t be shifted from second.

But the Port boss has shunned any temptation to rest players ahead of the finals.

“We always plan for this week and this week alone,” he said.

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==Camera IconFremantle’s finals plight is irrelevant to Port Adelaide, according to coach Ken Hinkley. Credit: Mark Brake/Getty Images

“And that’s what we’ll do because it just gets too dangerous to get anywhere ahead of that – don’t lose anything to do with momentum and form that we’re trying to get going.”

Port will be without All *********** defender Dan Houston, whose five-game suspension for a bump that knocked out Adelaide’s Izak Rankine ends his season.

And the Dockers again have ruled out Josh Treacy (knee) and Alex Pearce (arm).

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