PORT Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has a strong message for suspended midfielder Hamish Hartlett: flush ill disciplined acts out of your game or you won't play.
Hartlett was rubbed out for Saturday's clash against Melbourne in Alice Springs for a behind-the-play hit on Hawthorn's Bradley Hill last Saturday night.
Hartlett punched Hill in the stomach in the second quarter and received a one-match suspension from the Match Review Panel.
The 23-year-old missed the final two rounds last year for a bump on Gold Coast's Seb Tape.
Hartlett’s ability to lift the Power at crucial moments was on show against the Hawks, when he booted back-to-back goals early in the final term.
But Hinkley said he didn't want players who exposed themselves to suspension in his side.
"It's just too risky, you don't want to play football like that," Hinkley said.
"I'm not at all happy with what Hamish did and he knows that.
"Albeit it wasn't a real vicious thing, but it was something you know you just can't do and that's letting your teammates down.
"Hamish is a player that does play on the edge a little bit and he knows there's a point where he has to be able to stop, otherwise he hurts the team and that's what he's done this week."
Despite the Power entering the game against Melbourne as raging favourites, Hinkley insisted he was extremely wary of the Demons.
Port's versatile and efficient forward line will be tested by Melbourne's pressure, but the Power flew to Alice Springs on Friday morning confident after beating four top-eight sides in their last five games.
"Melbourne's form this year has been really strong, defensively they're one of the best teams in the competition," Hinkley said.
"They're just putting great pressure on sides and they're making it a tough game, it's typical of what 'Roosy's' (Paul Roos) coached in the past and it's what he's coaching again.
"We've had a really strong month of football against high quality opposition which has got us in a really good position as far as handling the pressure.
"We've just got to make sure we bring our own intensity."
Exciting small forward Jake Neade has been brought in for his first game of the year, replacing the injured Angus Monfries (ankle).
The Northern Territory local's form has improved in the SANFL and Hinkley said he had earned his recall into the senior line up.
"I'm sure he wouldn't mind when he was playing but to have it fall on Indigenous Round in Alice Springs is pretty important for him," he said.
"Jake's game is built around his defensive pressure, there's no doubt about that…he's been really good for at least the last four or five weeks for us at the Magpies."
