PORT ADELAIDE senior AFL coach Ken Hinkley has a trademark on the theme: "You get what you deserve". His AFLW counterpart at Alberton, AFLW senior coach Lauren Arnell, hopes the footy gods who have overlooked her Inaugurals' unwavering commitment this season finally offer the long-overdue reward for effort.
Port Adelaide closes the club's first AFLW campaign with the 10th game bringing fellow league newcomer Essendon to Alberton on Sunday with one theme in mind.
"I want to see reward for effort for our players," Arnell said at Alberton on Thursday morning, ahead of the open training session from 5.45pm.
"Our players have put so much in across such a short period of time. And we have five players who are finishing school this week ... I am really proud of that group of players in particular.
"For our whole team, I would like to see reward for effort."
At best, Port Adelaide could close with a 2-1-7 win-draw-record by beating Essendon, the highest-ranked team of the four new entries to the AFLW.
"We think on our internal measures that we are going a fair bit better than 1-1-7," Arnell said. "The cold light of day - on the ladder - says we are not. We do think of the nine games we've played, there are five-to-six we legitimately could have won, perhaps with more experience.
"With a few more games (of experience as a playing group), we win those games. At this moment, we've lost them. That is how it is. We do feel we are going better than 1-1-7 ..."
There is the lingering note of a contentious goal umpiring call at Moorabbin on Sunday leaving Port Adelaide with a two-point loss to St Kilda rather than its first win on the road with key forward Gemma Houghton's set shot being called a hit-post behind rather than goal at the end of the game.
"I have not spent a lot of time on it," Arnell said of the call that denied Houghton the dream finish to her 50th AFLW match. "That is out of my control. You have to trust the umpires to do their job, don't you?"
Unlike the AFL, there is no score review system in the AFLW. The post-game reviews on Monday do not correct a result if there has been an error on match day.
"There is a whole range of things (to come in AFLW)," Arnell said. "In my job, as Port Adelaide coach, there are so many other things that I can control that I will put time and effort into those."
The prospect of the season finale being turned into a sampler of AFLW finals that are to come - or even a mock "grand final" - is irrelevant while Arnell builds every match with a strong agenda.
"Every game has an extra emphasis for me," insists Arnell. "We are really keen to continue showing the brand of footy that we have this year - and go out with continuing to build on more consistency, but really showing that Port Adelaide brand of footy that we have this season.
"I build up every game. In a 10-round season, every game is just as important as the next.
"This is an opportunity - another opportunity for another week together. It is our last formal training session (on Thursday evening). There is a little bit of emotion in that. But there also is real excitement and opportunity."
Port Adelaide has lost its best intercept defender with key back Alex Ballard ruled out by the concussion protocols. The teenager had delayed concussion signs after playing out the match against St Kilda in which she fell heavily on her back during a contest during the latter stages of the third term.
Ballard, Liz McGrath (ankle), Maggie MacLachlan (shoulder) and Yasmin Duursma (glute) are all out of contention for selection of the team that will be announced on Saturday.
"Alex Ballard in her first season of W has made some enormous steps forward," Arnell said to put emphasis on the loss being felt at the selection table. "She has come from the SANFL at Sturt after being overlooked in her draft year. It is disappointing to miss Alex Ballard this weekend. But this creates opportunity for another player. Whoever that is, I am sure they will take that opportunity."
Port Adelaide's need to score more regularly - after a season of "feast or famine" in attack - is challenged by opposition teams preferring to clog Port Adelaide's attacking half with extras behind the ball.
"Men's and women's teams like to play numbers behind the ball," Arnell said. "My philosophy is, I like one-on-one footy. The more we teach our young group to win one-on-one and contests, the better we will be in the future.
"We look at how teams play every single week. We look to exploit different bits and pieces. We also like to look at how we can exploit our strengths as well."
Port Adelaide's rushed pre-season - with the AFLW season brought forward from a late December opening to late August - has been matched with a seemingly whirlwind tour of the nation across 10 weeks.
"It is crazy ... it is a short season, 10 weeks," Arnell said. "We look forward to our last game at Alberton; it is nice to be playing at home. It is almost a sell-out (with restricted capacity as redevelopment works continue on the eastern side of Alberton Oval).
"I remember when I was appointed coach that I was asked at the press conference about the Never Tear Us Apart (pre-game anthem), the first Showdown ... you look back now and say, that has all unfolded and Never Tear Us Apart has made me quite emotional. It is such a special moment for all our people, at men's and women's home games. I can't wait to see it on Sunday ... there is nothing like it in the competition. I am really grateful for my position where I get to experience it at every home game."
The match is expected to have an emotional finish with the inaugural 30-player squad likely to change to allow for trading and draft calls. But the list-management theme presented by Naomi Maidment for the inaugural squad is not needing major correction in Arnell's eyes.
"The off-season presents some really great opportunities for the group that we have," Arnell said. "We are excited by that.
"Right now, we are really focussed on Sunday."
The match begins at 12.40pm.
