CHAD CORNES is excited about his first finals campaign at the helm of Port Adelaide’s SANFL team.

The Magpies finished the season at 13-5, just a win shy of the ladder-topping Eagles, and are readying for a qualifying final against Sturt on Saturday afternoon.

Win there, and they will have the opportunity to play Woodville-West Torrens for a place in a grand final.

Lose, and it’s a knockout semi against the winner of Norwood and Central District.

“It’s great for the Maggies to be back in and it’s my first experience of the finals,” Cornes said on Tuesday.

“We go into this week, obviously, wanting to win and go deep into the finals.”

Cornes is expecting the majority of last week's team to remain against the Double Blues.

One player who won’t feature for the Magpies on Saturday will be forward Nathan Krakouer, who has accepted a one-game ban for rough conduct.

But Port should see the return of Matthew Lobbe (illness), Steven Summerton (illness), Angus Monfries (load management) and Matt White (AFL emergency) after they missed last Saturday’s big win over North at Prospect.

AFL regulars like Young, Trengove and injury-free Matt Broadbent are set to be retained as well.

“The way the boys have played over the past month, and pretty much over the past year [gives confidence]. Some of the guys we’ve got in the team like Aaron Young and Jackson Trengove are a real bonus going into finals,” Cornes said.

“Because the AFL have got the bye, I’d assume Kenny wants most of them to have a game.

“I think Broady showed that he’d be better for the run, I’d assume he’d play again for us this week.”

Sturt is essentially full-strength for Saturday’s game, and will be wary of a similarly powerful Magpies, even though several AFL-listed players will be replaced by SANFL contract holders.

That group will be headlined by skipper Steven Summerton and the likely retention of Tom Gray, Robbie Young and Louis Sharrad, who all performed strongly in the final match of the minor round.

Port Adelaide plays Sturt at 3.10pm on Saturday 2 September at Adelaide Oval. Tickets are available at the gate.

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