PORT Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley said he wasn't surprised his team's return bout with Hawthorn was fixtured as the headline act of the next Gather Round, following the dramatic end to last year's semi-final.

The AFL sent a $20,000 fine the Power coach's way after he sparked backlash following his team's epic three-point win, making gestures to Hawks forward Jack Ginnivan on the back of his social comments in the lead-up to the game.

The penalty for conduct unbecoming came amid a storm of differing views about the incident, with the outgoing Power coach telling AFL.com.au he remained apologetic about the moment. 

"I'm regretful. I've been open and honest enough to suggest that if I had my time again I certainly wouldn't have done that. It was a build-up. There was a lot put into that for us as a football club. I played my part in that week and I regret 30 seconds at the end of it," Hinkley said as he embarks on his final season as Port coach. 

"I wish I could take it back because ultimately it took away from what my players had done, and they'd achieved a great result in a game that no one gave us a chance. I thought we really played our hearts out that night and I ruined it for them and I apologise to the Hawthorn people. 

"It will be an interesting game when we come to it but we all love the rivalries in the game."

The AFL has bought into the rivalry of the clubs' next meeting, staging the Port Adelaide and Hawthorn clash as the closing main event of Gather Round on the Sunday night of the round in Adelaide this April.

After the frosty finish of the knockout final, which saw the Power end Hawthorn's scintillating run into September last year, Hinkley said he wasn't shocked to see the game get top billing of Adelaide's round in the spotlight. 

"I just wasn't surprised. I don't think anyone was surprised. It creates rivalry, it creates interest, the AFL used it for what it is," said Hinkley, who will steer the Power this season before handing the coaching reins over to Josh Carr officially ahead of the 2026 campaign. 

Opposing coach Sam Mitchell said his Hawks weren't focusing on the Port Adelaide rematch.

"I don't think me or any of our players have thought too much about Gather Round. Our very, very keen focus is on Sydney for round zero. We have four games before Gather Round. I know there's going to be great rivalry, and if I'm honest, I love the rivalries in footy," Mitchell told AFL.com.au this week.

"I don't think we'll be shying away from it and saying it's just another game. I'm sure when it gets to that week that will be a big focus and we'll be happy for you guys to talk about it but at the moment it's about fifth on the list of my thinking or scouting."

Port's preparations for this season have been hit with some injuries to key-position players, with Todd Marshall (Achilles) set to miss the season and defenders Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (back) and Esava Ratugolea (knee) having recent issues. Ratugolea is touch and go for the start of the season and Zerk-Thatcher likely due back a month or so into the season.

"We expect he (Zerk-Thatcher) will miss, from the time he got injured, probably 10 weeks. That could be round five or six, I haven't done the calendar in my head. You just leave him in the capable hands of our medical team and Thatch's ability to recover and hope it's a little bit sooner," he said. 

Port's preliminary final finish last season was the third time in five years the club has reached the final four, having also been top four on the home and away ladder in 2023 before being hit by injuries in the finals and bowing out with back-to-back losses. Hinkley said he expects his group to challenge again. 

"What I love about it is we just continually give our best. Often our best has been pretty good in the last four or five years and it puts us in a position to challenge every year. We try to do that every year," Hinkley said.

"We would have loved to get right to the end of it and we haven't been able to, but you've got to be proud of the fact that when you're the coach of the team they keep turning up, they keep giving themselves a chance and I know they'll do the same again this year. 

"This is a really tough competition. There is absolutely no guarantee. Do you make the top of the ladder or do you miss out on the top eight? All those things are separated by such a fine margin and I don't think we totally appreciate that as much as we should in the comp."