THERE is no shortage of motivation for Port Adelaide in Saturday night's Showdown, according to defender Dan Houston, as the Power look to close a frustrating season with a sentimental win for club great Robbie Gray.

In what is shaping as an increasingly spicy clash with crosstown rival Adelaide, the Power players are also keen to repay the support of coach Ken Hinkley and give disappointed fans a late win to hold onto.  

Without finals to play for, Brownlow medallist Ollie Wines ramped up interest in Showdown 52 this week when he spoke about disliking Adelaide's DNA and "the sense of entitlement they have".

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Houston said the whole club had its focus on winning this game and resuming its winning run against the Crows, having lost the round three Showdown in a dramatic after-the-siren goal from Adelaide recruit Jordan Dawson.

"There's so many reasons we want to win this last game," Houston told AFL.com.au. 

"It's not just because we're going into the off-season and it's something that will go with us, it's not just for Kenny or Robbie.

"As a whole club we are set on winning this game and that's all we've got our eyes on at the moment, winning this game for the club, for Robbie, for Kenny, and for our fans."

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Wines gave an insight into the Power's mindset this week when he told Channel Seven there would be a lot on the line at Adelaide Oval, despite both clubs not playing finals.

"There's certain things about that football club that I don't like, and I'm sure there's certain things about our football club that they don't like," Wines said.

"It's a mini-final. We're not playing finals, so this is our season on the line."

Houston said it had been tough maintaining motivation since the carrot of playing finals had been removed, but the team had set a new focus on identifying where improvement was needed for next year.

"We sat down and most of us agreed that our skills need to improve and being able to motivate ourselves to get better in that area each week," the defender said.

"[We need to] come with a focus to improve ourselves and make sure we're a better team. That's where our mindset has been since not playing finals."

A loss on Saturday night would leave the Power with nine wins in their worst season since 2012 (5-1-16), while a win would at least equal the 10-12 season of 2016.

It is a disappointing result either way for the preliminary finalists of the past two seasons and Houston said the group looked back on its 0-5 start to the season in frustration.

"It's always been an uphill battle since then," the 25-year-old said.

Our ability to stick together as a group and keep pushing and keep believing in ourselves … we gave it a red-hot crack.

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"But we definitely do look on that first five games as a frustration that made our season so much more difficult than it needed to be.

"We'll learn from it and make sure it doesn't happen again."

On Hinkley, Houston said the coach had "not wavered one bit" this season and continued to have the players' backs, with the group keen to do the same for their coach.

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"I know there's been a lot of outside noise and a bit of passion from the supporters, but Kenny internally hasn't changed," Houston said. 

"We've had a tough year as a team, and he's had our backs and has never wavered.

"I can speak on behalf of the team that we're stoked he's coaching again next year."

Houston has been one of Port's standout players and a contender to win the club's best and fairest alongside leading chance Connor Rozee and former captain Travis Boak.

Mixing his time between playing as a half-back and occasional wingman had worked well, averaging a career-best 23.3 disposals and 6.6 intercept possessions. 

"I've taken a lot of positives out of this year and it's probably been my most consistent year," Houston said.

"Even though the team success hasn't been there this year, for me personally I've taken a lot out of it and I'm looking to build on it.

"I think my better position and more consistency comes from playing half-back and I've really enjoyed that."