Hinkley believes extending his tenure as Power coach into a ninth AFL season next year is a non-event.

Hinkley's contract includes a clause stipulating if he makes finals this season, he gets an extension for next year.

Port are assured of making the playoffs, currently top of the table with 10 wins and two losses.

"It's no news to me," Hinkley told reporters on Thursday.

"It's just move on ... it's simple, it has taken care of itself.

"The fascination I have is there is nothing to be announced; it's a contract.

"(But) I'm not convinced that anything has been taken care of yet.

"We have got a job to do still as a footy team and if we lose focus on that, there's some risks that other things go wrong."

In recent years, Hinkley took a series of what he described as brave decisions.

He traded out high-calibre players including Chad Wingard, Jared Polec, Paddy Ryder, Jarman Impey and Dougal Howard, replacing them with a crop of youngsters such as Zak Butters, Connor Rozee and Xavier Duursma.

The Power missed the playoffs in the past two seasons. And under Hinkley, they played just finals series.

But the rebuild is set to bear fruit this season.

"It has taken time, it has taken some decision-making ... braver decisions," Hinkley said.

"We are nowhere yet. We understand that we have got a good position in the ladder this year.

"But the success of the football club is long-term success, it's not one season or 12 games.

"When you have something that is real you can talk about it.

"At the moment it's half a season. We have got a long way to go."

Australian Associated Press