By the time Port run onto Adelaide Oval for the twilight game, they'll know if they can reach the finals.

The 11th-placed Power need other results to fall their way - chiefly, Adelaide to beat Western Bulldogs earlier on Sunday.

If the Crows lose, Port lose any chance of making the playoffs.

If Adelaide win, and West Coast beat Hawthorn on Saturday, the Power will know exactly the margin they need to beat the Dockers to jump into the eight.

Hinkley says it will be impossible for his players not to know the Adelaide result before the first bounce against Freo.

"But my response to the players will be 'I don''t care'," Hinkley said.

"Of course, I want the opportunity (to play finals). But I want us to play a game of football that we can be proud of either way.

"We have some hope, And I get that some of that hope is out of our control.

"Come Sunday afternoon with what this season has done all year, who knows what is going to happen.

"All I want to happen is to make sure this team is prepared to play their best football this Sunday."

But there's an added problem for Port.

Fremantle sacked Ross Lyon as coach on Tuesday, with David Hale taking over for Sunday's fixture.

This season, three others club have axed their head coach. And three times, their replacement has won their first game in charge.

"We have seen it all year, it has been a bit volatile in the coaching ranks," Hinkley said.

"So we expect a little bit of the unexpected from them (Fremantle).

"Typically what has happened from what we have seen this year is that the sides who have done that move, the team comes out and plays with a little bit more freedom, they take the game on a little bit more.

"Our challenge is to make sure we don't give them that space to take that game on because they have got some high quality players out there and we know how good they can be."

Australian Associated Press