Port Adelaide are bemused by Essendon coach Matthew Knights' barb that the AFL clubs don't respect each other.

Knights has fanned the flames of Saturday's Etihad Stadium match by declaring there's no love lost between the clubs.

"I don't think there is a lot of respect in both camps," Knights said this week.

"I think there is a lot of feeling between both playing groups and both clubs.

"And I am expecting it to be pretty fierce because I don't think there is much love lost between the two clubs."

Power midfielder Kane Cornes said Knights' fighting words could be a ploy to motivate his side.

"It's a little bit surprising from our point of view because we have got a huge amount of respect for them," Cornes said on Wednesday.

"They're a really proud club with a great history.

"We'll just be approaching it as we have the last couple of weeks and his comments aren't going to affect the outcome of the game."

Port, who have defeated St Kilda and Adelaide in consecutive weeks to rise to seventh on the ladder, expect mercurial forward Daniel Motlop to press for selection against the Bombers.

Motlop hasn't featured this season but made a successful comeback from a hamstring injury in the SANFL last weekend.

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