PORT Adelaide’s finals hopes may have evaporated weeks ago, but Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson expects his team will be put through a demanding physical test at AAMI Stadium on Saturday.

With the drama of former senior coach Mark Williams’ departure behind them, the Power have rediscovered a hard edge that saw them notch their first win under caretaker Matthew Primus last weekend.

“I think everyone expected that [Adelaide] would just go on their winning ways ... but Port Adelaide was outstanding,” Clarkson said shortly before flying out of Melbourne Airport on Friday.

“They were hard and tough at the footy and did so for four quarters and ended up getting the points.

“We’re playing on their home ground, and we’ve had our fair challenges against Port over the journey while I’ve been coach of Hawthorn. I don’t expect that it will be any different tomorrow.”

Hawthorn heads interstate with almost a full complement to choose from. With Max Bailey his only winged player, Clarkson drew an interesting parallel between the club’s current situation and the premiership run of two years ago.

“In 2008 we had a really good run towards the end of the year,” he said.

“We didn’t have many injuries and were able to pick pretty much our best side in the lead-in to the 2008 finals series. Hopefully that’s a good omen because right at this point in time we haven’t been as well-positioned either.

“Whether we’re well-positioned like this come round 21 or 22 ... the injury list will unfold as it unfolds, such is the nature of our game. It’s a brutal, tough industry. You could be really well-placed injury-wise one week and then in trouble the next.”

The Power endured a miserable nine-game losing streak before last week’s win which Clarkson, a former Port assistant coach, suspected had a lot to do with Primus.

“Everything I’ve had to do with Matty Primus [tells me] he’s a true professional and he engenders real spirit in the group,” he said.

“He’s a real lead-from-the-front type of person.

“He was just a genuine competitor [as a player], one of the best in the competition in that regard, and that was certainly reflected in the way that Port Adelaide went about their work last week.”

Former Port onballer Shaun Burgoyne will play in enemy colours at AAMI Stadium for the first time, but Clarkson backed his star recruit to take the expected hostile reception in his stride.

“He’d be looking forward to going back to Adelaide. He’s played a lot of footy on that ground, but it will be a little bit unusual for him in that he won’t have the support of the crowd behind this time,” he said.

“He’s a Hawthorn player now, he wears the brown and gold, so matter who the opponent or what ground we’re on, he’s a true professional so he’ll just get on with the work.”

The resurgent Hawks are still an outside chance to snare a precious top-four spot as they enter the final weeks of the premiership season, but Clarkson acknowledged the difficulty of achieving that goal.

“If we can control our side of things and keep winning then it’s mathematically still possible, but we need teams above us to tip over at some point in time over the last five rounds,” he said.

“We haven’t even secured a top eight berth at this point in time so that’s what we’re focusing on.”