PORT Adelaide's players needed as much sleep as possible on their 13-hour flight to Dubai, because within hours of landing they were on the training track.

After having their skinfolds tested by strength coach Andrew Rondinelli, the squad hit the running track for a gruelling session just three hours after arriving in the Middle East. 

Players and coaches flew out of Adelaide airport on Friday night, boarding a non-stop flight to Dubai.

Before departure, coach Ken Hinkley said that with his side's outstanding 2013 meaning a delayed start to the 2014 pre-season, there would be little time for sightseeing.

He had a single, and ominous, piece of advice for his players.

"Get the best amount of sleep you possibly can on the flight over because as soon as you hit the floor we're running.

"We'll get there tomorrow morning very early, 5am in the morning, and the boys will go to the hotel, they'll put their bags down and then they'll start training."

Once were teammates: fate turns school buddies into Showdown rivals

Hinkley said he had asked high performance manager Darren Burgess to design a specific training program that tested the playing group both physically and mentally.

While team bonding will form a vitally important aspect of the trip, Hinkley's primary focus will be to ensure his group returns to Australia in prime condition for its assault on the competition next year.

"We're testing their resilience, there's no doubt about that.

"We want to make sure they understand what we're going there for – it is to train and it is to get fit.

"Sometimes you get put in uncomfortable positions in a game of football, we're going to do that to them over here.

"It's not going to be much fun."

Skipper Travis Boak said he was more anxious about the trip to the United Arab Emirates than the promised training upon arrival.

But with two new players in Matthew White and Jared Polec joining the group and the club's draftees to fly over on Tuesday, Boak highlighted the importance of getting time together.

"I hate flying, so that's probably what I'm most nervous about, but it's an important chance for us to all get together.

"For those new guys to come in … and get used to the surroundings and how we want to play [is a real positive]."

Twitter: @AFL_Harry