EXTERNAL expectation on Port Adelaide builds each time Patrick Ryder glides across the Alberton Oval turf and every time Ollie Wines breaks a tackle at training.
It builds whenever Justin Westhoff marks strongly on a lead, having accepted a laser-like pass from an Andrew Moore or Aaron Young, players determined to cement their place in the side.
After falling three points short of reaching last year's Grand Final, and with young players rising, the football world anticipates a premiership assault from the Power in 2015.
For captain Travis Boak it's too early to talk flag aspirations, but he understands his side will begin the year as a competition benchmark.
From the first day of pre-season training he's been impressed by what he's seen of Port and said its summer work-rate showed the group's desire to step up.
"Last year we certainly weren't good enough to go all the way, and we've spoken about that and need to make sure we go to another level again," Boak said.
"Sides will be coming up and chasing us, but we'll focus on what we need to improve on and we'll make sure we go to another level.
"We've got big expectations on ourselves … our pre-season so far has been a big challenge and been fantastic, but we've still got a long way to go."
The heartbreak of last year's preliminary final loss to Hawthorn will fuel the Power's push, but midfielder Hamish Hartlett said the pain of the club's darker years also remained.
The 24-year-old star endured nothing but average-to-poor team performances at Alberton after being drafted at pick No. 4 in 2008 until the club finished fifth in 2013 under new coach Ken Hinkley.
Veteran Kane Cornes remembers the highs that preceded the 2008-2012 slump and the 32-year-old's personal best 3km time trial last November was symbolic of the players' desire to succeed once again.
"Certainly, the drive is still there from a few years ago for us more senior players when we weren't in a great spot as a footy club," Hartlett said on Monday.
"We still lean back on that to drive us forward and keep the standards intense."
