When Port Adelaide's players take the field against Collingwood on Friday night they will be playing for pride, retired great Michael Wilson and their own AFL futures.

But it is arguable that the most important carrot the Power will have against the Magpies is to help ensure the financial stability of the club by giving supporters a reason to retain their memberships.

Never in the Power's 11-year history has the club drawn thinner crowds to AAMI Stadium than they have this year.

The average attendance figure of 24,410 across nine home matches comfortably outstrips even the barren years of 2000 (26,377) and 2006 (27,257), and underlines how vital it is for Port to finish the season well in an effort to prevent a further decline in their supporter base.

"No doubt, that's a combination with the players also, they perform well at the end of the year and they go into pre-season feeling better," assistant coach Matthew Primus said of the need for something to carry into 2009.

"So if our supporters see a great game Friday and then the following week against Melbourne it gives them a bit of hope to where we're going next year."

Most disquieting for the Power bean counters is that 2008 has witnessed some of the first murmurings of serious discontent among the club's hardened core of supporters - those who could always be expected to turn up to AAMI Stadium have not necessarily been doing so.

Already confused by a club that tries to embrace past and future in equal measure off the field, Port's fans have grown increasingly perplexed by an on-field combination that is capable of great displays - as evidenced by the recent showdown win over Adelaide - but has more often than not turned in poor ones.

Last week's decidedly tardy effort resulted in a 66-point defeat to Carlton, and so angered the club's coaching staff that players were pushed through a lengthy running "punishment" session on the Monday morning.

Primus said that above all else, the Power's effort must not be called into question again this year.

"Our effort needs to be a lot greater than it was last week, probably more like the way it was against St Kilda, we're looking for that kind of effort and that kind of contested football," he said.

"Collingwood pride themselves on that and if we can do that a lot better and match them, our skill level and talent should be able to get us a win.

"Effort is the biggest thing, it's what every individual controls, our leaders control and the coaches do what we can control, so that's what we're looking at and we're hoping a little bit of Michael (Wilson) rubs off on everyone on a Friday night."

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