Ollie Wines is dejected after Port Adelaide's loss to the Western Bulldogs in the preliminary final on September 11, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos

KEN HINKLEY says he has no control over the narrative of a mentally scarred Port Adelaide facing its tormenters, the Western Bulldogs.

But the Power coach says what happened during one of his club's darkest nights is largely irrelevant to Friday night's clash against the Dogs.

The last time they met, in a preliminary final last season, the Power were humiliated in a 71-point home loss to the Bulldogs.

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"I am not qualified to know exactly what mental scarring is going to do or not do to people," Hinkley said on Thursday.

"All I can say is that ... this competition is so close and changes so quickly, I don't think you can reflect too far back to get a guide to what is going to happen in the next game.

"Clearly I knew we were going to get this question about whether we have looked and reviewed the Western Bulldogs' prelim final.

"We do that with every team we play ... we have done that this time.

"We're hoping and expecting a much better result but we know the quality of the opposition.

"What went on six months ago is going to have very little to do (with Friday night) but we will certainly not be ignorant and not try and learn from what went on."

Ken Hinkley looks on during Port Adelaide's win over St Kilda in round seven, 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

Hinkley said much had changed at both Port and Bulldogs entering the Adelaide Oval fixture.

Both clubs were pre-season tips to feature at the top end of the ladder but both are struggling — Port lost its initial five games and sit in 13th spot, three rungs below the Dogs.

"Right now we're not talking about the same two sides," Hinkley said.

"It would be unfair for either us or the Western Bulldogs to spend too much time thinking about what happened (last year) ... we're in a different position.

"We have started the season in the position that we are and we're going to continually get questioned.

"And we have just got to continue to stay focused on what we can control and that is our effort day-by-day and preparation day-by-day.

"To narrow it down to one particular game and try and get a full-stop that this game will tell us where we're at is not right.

"We have just got to continue to build ... you have got to stay in the moment, don't get lost in trying to judge where you are right now."