PORT Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley denies he's punting on injured players while aiming a subtle sledge at Greater Western Sydney ahead of Saturday night's semi-final.

Hinkley has recalled spearhead Charlie Dixon, who hasn't played since July because of a knee injury, for the knockout final at Adelaide Oval.

Hinkley has also kept the faith in forward Todd Marshall (hip) and defender Trent McKenzie (ankle), adamant both have emerged from injury clouds.

"The outcome of the game is usually the thing that people reflect on and say 'did you take unnecessary risks'," Hinkley told reporters on Friday.

"If you win, none of those questions come up. That's just fact."

The Power were trounced by Brisbane by 48 points in last week's qualifying final, while the Giants enter the semi buoyed by a four-goal elimination final triumph against St Kilda.

But Hinkley reminded the Giants of their most recent trip to Adelaide, when the Power won by 51 points in round 22.

The Port coach said that result was now irrelevant - but added a barb.

"This is a semi-final, cut-throat final, they (GWS) are marching toward a bit of a bit of belief in their own game," Hinkley said.

"What they do need to remember is they came here last time and got beat by 50 points, so hopefully that's the outcome we get this time."

Dixon returns at the expense of axed utility Jeremy Finlayson, who won't face his former club amid a late-season form slump.

"Jeremy has been giving everything he's got all this year and unfortunately the numbers were probably against him a little bit," Hinkley said.

"But Charlie coming back was also significant."

While Dixon may be underdone, Hinkley won't restrict the 32-year-old's game time.

"I've never been able to manage Charlie yet ... he will play regular minutes for us," he said.

"He will be rotated like every one of our players. But certainly it's a final, we have to go in knowing that we've got people who can play the (full) game."

Ditto for Marshall, who blew a series of shots at goal against the Lions which some pundits blamed on his hip injury.

Hinkley, who had a lengthy discussion with Marshall while walking laps at mid-week training, rejected that theory.

"There's no secret that Todd hasn't been in his absolute best physical shape," he said.

"Todd is such a caring person and player, the last thing he wants to be seen doing is letting the team down.

"So I just wanted to make sure he was OK and (say) that he didn't let us down.

"There's absolutely nothing to do with the misses and him being sore, without being disrespectful to people who speculate too often."

Meanwhile, Hinkley said the club must be doing "something OK" for three players from rival clubs to request trades to Alberton.

Geelong's Esava Ratugolea, Essendon's Brandon Zerk-Thatcher and Jordon Sweet from the Western Bulldogs have all told their clubs they want to join Port when the official trade period begins on October 9.

Hinkley also refused to be drawn on 35-year-old Travis Boak's future beyond the finals.

"I expect him to play really well in this game and outside that, they're decisions that will be talked about later on," he said.

"All the list management stuff, for the last time, will get taken care of by Jason Cripps ... that's his job.

"My job is to really focus in on a final and get Travis and every other player playing at their best for tomorrow night."