Port aiming to hit the ground running in 2017

Port Adelaide will field a strong side during the pre-season competition as the club looks to start the 2017 season on a positive note.

Power assistant coach Matthew Nicks says the club is keen to make up for a poor season in 2016 and is aiming to get back to winning ways in the JLT Community Series.

"We're pretty keen to play a reasonably strong side in the (JLT Community Series) and Kenny is keen to coach that group and hold the reins for it," Nicks said.

"For Ken to be there, it gives the players the (knowledge) this is real.

"You think back to your playing days, when the pressure is on, that's when you perform your best.

"If you're a competitor and a lot of us are, you want to feel that pressure. There's pressure on the whole club – coaches, players, admin, everyone, and we embrace that."

Nicks said any player on the club's list who trains well during the pre-season and is worthy of a chance at senior level will get an opportunity.

"If a player's ready and we feel it's going to benefit them and make them improve and develop faster, we'll get them in as soon as we can," he added.

"Some of the guys who have come in have performed really well on match practice and we can't ask more of that.

"Some of them are at a level that we are reasonably confident we may see some of them this year."

Port was narrowly beaten by eventual premier Hawthorn in the preliminary final in 2014, before missing the finals for the past two seasons, finishing ninth and 10th.