Port Adelaide coach Matthew Primus hopes Nathan Krakouer's return against Hawthorn isn't among the creative defender's last for the AFL club.

Port has conceded publicly for the first time that Krakouer is considering joining the fledgling Gold Coast next year.

Krakouer returns to Port's side to host Hawthorn on Saturday, his first AFL game since suffering a groin injury in round seven.

The 22-year-old West Australian is out of contract at Port at season's end, and is rumoured to have already committed to join Gold Coast.

But Primus said Krakouer hasn't told Port of his plans.

"Krak has said he hasn't made a decision and we'll believe him," Primus said on Friday.

"He has got a decision to make, obviously.

"You would love to have him signed up ... but he's decided to wait.

"So all we can do is keep talking to him, tell him how good the future here is going to be, but in the end it's his decision and we'll have to wait and see."

Krakouer, key position player Jackson Trengove and ex-Richmond utility Danny Meyer have come into Port's side for the clash against the sixth-placed Hawks.

Meyer was confirmed on Friday as a replacement for tagger Matt Thomas, who was named in Port's side but failed to overcome a corked calf.

The Power couldn't consider Tom Logan (concussion) and the retired Josh Carr, who both played in their stirring win over Adelaide last weekend which broke a club record nine-game losing streak.

Hawthorn, seeking to remain in striking distance of the top four, have replaced the suspended Campbell Brown with Rick Ladson.

Primus said the Hawks presented "as big a challenge as you can get", noting they lead the competition in winning contested ball in the past month.

The caretaker coach said his third game in control of the 13th placed Port was as much a mental test as physical, given the club's euphoria at beating their arch rival Adelaide.

"It will be a great test to see if we can rise to it again," he said.

"If you don't back it up, whether that's a win or a loss, if you don't back it up with that intensity then come Monday ... we're back to where we were the last nine weeks.

"The players are well aware of that."

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