TRAVIS Boak jokes that he can't remember Port Adelaide's horrific 119-point loss to Geelong in the 2007 premiership decider – the largest margin in Grand Final history.
Boak was in his first season at Alberton when the club was smashed from pillar to post and embarrassed on the game's biggest stage.
But the captain is now one of just five players remaining with the Power from that team, along with Kane Cornes, Dom Cassisi, Tom Logan and Justin Westhoff.
These five will be key members of the team attempting to knock the Cats out of finals contention on Friday night.
Boak's former teammate and current member of Port Adelaide’s backroom staff, Toby Thurstans, remembers the Grand Final loss all too well.
After kicking three goals in the fabled 2004 premiership, Thurstans played as a defender in 2007.
Thurstans told AFL.com.au, the ghosts from that epic Grand Final fail had long since vanished.
"I think they're gone and that's started from the top, there's different a president, different CEO, different fitness staff; there's actually not a lot of people still around who were affected by that loss," Thurstans said.
"Players are pretty resilient and thick-skinned, they've moved on."
The 110-game player said he remembered the 2007 decider "vividly", particularly the positive mood of playing group during the warm-up.
Before the opening bounce he told ruckman Dean Brogan that "something special could happen".
He was right, of course, just not in the manner he had hoped.
Thurstans flew to Melbourne on Friday to join the team and help coach Ken Hinkley with game-day match-ups, as the Power continue their first venture into finals football since that ill-fated campaign.
It's difficult to compare the Power’s current culture to what existed early in Thurstans' career as they built toward an inaugural AFL flag.
But he said today's playing unit, led by Boak and Brad Ebert, possessed exceptional, player-driven values.
Thurstans said the group could replicate the Power's success in the early 2000s when its third minor premiership in as many years finally resulted in ultimate glory.
"A lot of the players from Brad Ebert, 'Boaky' (Travis Boak), (Hamish) Hartlett, even Robbie Gray – these guys are really driving the thought that, 'hey guys, you only get one opportunity at AFL football, let's make the most of it'," he said.
"That core group of players really do drive good values and they really want to succeed.
"The talent that they've got at the moment has the ability to do what we did from '01 to '04."
