Port Adelaide coach and former Gold Coast assistant Ken Hinkley has admitted he is wary of his former team’s outstanding home record at Metricon Stadium this season.

The GC SUNS have won seven of their nine games at Metricon, including victories over the likes of Geelong and Collingwood. Their only two losses at the venue came at the hands of the top two sides on the AFL ladder, Sydney and Hawthorn.

It’s a far cry from when Hinkley was at the club, as it managed just two victories in front of the SUNS faithful during his tenure.

Since captain Gary Ablett went down, the team’s only triumph has come at its home ground with a relatively easy win over St Kilda a fortnight back, and Hinkley knows his team will have to play near its best to grab the four points on Saturday.

“I think seven out of nine at Metricon they’ve won – we’re playing them at Metricon, we’re playing them on their turf,” Hinkley said.

“Gary’s a significant loss but we’ve dealt with significant losses through the year...you play what’s there.

“I’m sure they won’t be thinking for one moment that they’re not right in this game to win it, and I’m not thinking for one moment that it’s not going to need our best effort.”

Port has regained former Richmond goalsneak Matt White for the game after he missed Power’s last two games with injury.

“You always miss someone who brings that type of run to the team; he’s pretty important for us,” Hinkley said.

“He’s had a really good year or us in his first year at the club.”