PORT Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has reserved special praise for returned pair Jared Polec and Nathan Krakouer in the Power's 35-point win over Richmond at the MCG on Saturday night.
Polec had been dropped to the SANFL in round five before earning an immediate recall against the Tigers, and he didn't let his team down as Port squared its ledger at 3-3.
Playing on a wing in his 50th game, the left-footer gathered 23 possessions (10 contested) – second-best for Port behind Matthew Broadbent's 25 – laid four tackles and set up a goal.
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Krakouer had served a club-imposed, six-game suspension for breaking team rules off the field, and was selected after playing limited game time in the SANFL last week.
The highly-skilled finisher, who will turn 28 on Thursday, had 14 touches against the Tigers and slotted an important goal from 50 metres in the third term.
Hinkley was "really proud" of his team's "strong four-quarter performance", particularly as the club has come under increasing pressure in recent weeks.
The Power coach was happy with the performances of each of the club's five inclusions – along with Polec and Krakouer, Jarman Impey kicked three goals, Brendan Ah Chee was also dangerous and Dougal Howard battled hard in the ruck.
Hinkley said those results were a credit to both the players and the coaching panel.
"I was particularly pleased for Jared (Polec), because (it was) almost a throwaway line at the airport and it gets (portrayed) as 'Jared's been put under enormous heat from the coach.' Well, that wasn't the case," Hinkley told reporters post-match.
"But it was an honest conversation – 'You have to turn up and play (the right way) if you want to be in the team.' And he certainly did that …
"Krakouer. Wow. 'Krak's played basically half a game of football since the start of the year and it was a big show of faith by the match committee to pick Krak.
Nathan Krakouer celebrates being back in the Power team. Picture: AFL Media
"But I said when he made his mistake, 'Krak's a really good person and he won't want to let people down.' That's not the way he operates. I thought he showed that and he came back and responded really well.
"He's a really composed footballer. When he's out there playing, that's where he's most comfortable, I'm sure.
"He's got some belief and some ability to play the game and I thought we structurally coached him really well tonight to get him in the right spots at the right time.
"We helped him play the game he needed to play.
"Not just the players, (but) the coaching group, who have been under a bit of pressure, helped the boys tonight too, so I was pleased for them."
Hinkley said it had been exciting to win a rare fixture at the MCG while playing a style of football that was nearer to that which has become recognised as the Port Adelaide brand.
"We're going to make some mistakes (so) we've just got to stick together and keep pushing," he said.
"Some of our people tonight would have recognised bits that they liked, and the key for us is to continue to try (to) work on improving the numbers of those bits that turn up in games."
