Port Adelaide well-placed for finals tilt but skipper Boak isn't looking that far ahead
FINALS football isn't a focus for Port Adelaide despite two unlikely wins against the Sydney Swans and Collingwood that have the club firmly in the frame for a September.
With a favourable run home that includes five games against sides beneath them on the ladder, Port is a real chance of maintaining its place in the top eight.
Captain Travis Boak said that at its best, the club could tackle any team in the competition, but that it wasn't distracted by September dreaming.
"We can match it with the top sides, we just need to bring our game style which we did against Sydney and Collingwood," Boak said.
"We just [need] to bring the same brand of footy that we have the last four weeks to the games against St Kilda and Brisbane and whoever else follows from that.
"We're not thinking about anything down the track, we're not thinking about finals. We're just concentrating about bringing that style of footy that's going to match it with the top sides.
"If we look too far ahead then that's when you start to slide off and start losing games you shouldn't."
The Power will have to break an eight-game hoodoo at Etihad Stadium if they're to beat St Kilda on Saturday night.
They haven't won at the venue since downing Richmond by 10 points in round 22, 2010 but Boak was confident the Saints could be controlled, regardless of the venue.
"We probably haven't been able to play our style there. We've let teams play that indoor, uncontested footy," Boak said.
"We just need to bring ... our shutdown, defensive style ... from the first quarter.
"Carlton played a lot of uncontested footy against us, it was the same the other week against Essendon – they just played it on their terms.
"I don't think the ground matters at all. Whether it's something in our mind, our preparation, we just haven't been able to bring that style of game to Etihad."
Boak and his teammates will be aided by the return of influential forward Justin Westhoff, who served his one-week suspension for striking last weekend.
"'Westy' has shown that he can play all around the ground and he's really versatile," he said.
"In games where he's played well, he's probably got us over the line.
"If not the most influential player in the side, he's probably up there in the top three."
Former captain Domenic Cassisi could also return from a hamstring injury.
Harry Thring is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Harry
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