PORT Adelaide utility Justin Westhoff knows finals opportunities don't come around often.

So to see West Coast midfielder Luke Shuey kick a goal after the siren in extra time to end the Power's season was extremely hard for the 226-game veteran to take.

"I'm not sure words can actually describe how the group is feeling," Westhoff told AFL.com.au in the Power change rooms on Saturday night.

"I don't really know what to say.

"The better team got up on the day and we didn't do things right that last little bit.

"It cost us and we weren't good enough."

Shuey's goal gave the Eagles victory 12.6 (78) to 10.16 (76) in the second elimination final at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.

Scores were locked at 60 – the Power 8.12 to the Eagles' 9.6 – at the end of the fourth quarter when extra-time was required.

In his first season, Westhoff played in the 2007 Grand Final that the Power lost to Geelong by a record 119 points.

He then had to wait another six years for his next finals campaign, ending with a 16-point semi-final defeat, again to the Cats, in 2013.

The following year, the Power went all the way to the preliminary final before going down to powerhouse Hawthorn by three points at the MCG.

After missing the finals for the past two years, the Power finished fifth on the ladder this season with a 14-8 win-loss record.

But the improvement they've made in the past 12 months doesn't make up for the pain of defeat.

"We want to be in a better spot next year," he said.

"We've got a few hills to climb, it's so hard to get back to where we were.

"It's going to be hard and it's going to be a very long summer.

"We thought we had the potential to go a little bit further, so to be standing here now, I'm pretty annoyed."

Westhoff was one of the Power's best, finishing with 21 possessions. He started as a sweeper in defence in the first quarter, before moving to the wing and then attack late in the game.

The 30-year-old will return next year and hopes the 11 players who made their finals debuts will be better for the experience.

"We've got some kids in the team and to get that under their belt early in their careers is a good thing," he said.

"They'll be bigger and better next year.

"I thought the young players did well during the year and tonight.

"We've got a core group and a pretty good list going forward."