Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley struggled to keep his emotions in check when the sad realisation surrounding Sam Powell-Pepper’s serious knee injury set in.

Powell-Pepper collapsed in a heap when his left knee buckled during Saturday night’s loss to Brisbane at the Gabba.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Ken Hinkley emotional speaking about Sam Powell-Pepper.

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The popular forward looked a shattered man on the bench with all signs immediately pointing to another ACL injury.

The 27-year-old missed the majority of last season after rupturing the ACL in his other knee.

With Hinkley departing the club at the end of the season, Saturday night’s match will likely be the last time he coaches the tough forward in a game.

Sam Powell-Pepper suffered a likely second ACL Credit: AAP

“Sam obviously looks like an ACL,” Hinkley said.

“Clearly we’ll get the scan back over the next couple of days, but that’s really, really sad, and when I think about that it gets a bit sadder for me because it’s my last game of coaching Sam, and he’s been such a great player for me.

“It’s really difficult when you have someone that you really care about (and) see that happen to them for the second time on the other leg.

“Wish him a speedy recovery and I know he’ll be a great player for Port Adelaide.”

Hinkley backed Powell-Pepper to return from the devastating injury, that came just days after he and wife Brya welcomed their third daughter into the world.

“For all those people that think (the players) get paid too much, or they don’t work hard enough, or it’s such a great opportunity for them, have a look at that boy tonight and have a look at how he feels.

“He’s had a great week, he’s had a new baby … and he has to deal with that.

“But in typical ‘Pep’ fashion he’ll deal with it. He’ll have a couple of days where it’ll be pretty tough, and he’ll be back.

“I look forward to watching his first game back.”

Talls Dante Visentini (ankle) and Esava Ratugolea (hamstring) were also injured in the 28-point loss, Port down to two fit men on the bench but able to hang with a Lions side that kicked six goals in 11 first-quarter minutes to set up their lead.

“With all the things that were going a little bit wrong ... injuries, which were really, really sad,” Hinkley said.

“Brisbane, and they’re a great side; they capitalised on every moment we gave them.

“I’m really proud.”

Hinkley, who took over at Port in 2013, will hand the keys to Josh Carr next season.

“With smile and with a bit of opportunity and freedom, to encourage our players to enjoy playing footy and make sure I’m there leading the way as best I possibly can for them,” Hinkley said of his plans.

The long-time mentor was already delivering on his promise during the match, at one stage comically flashing a smile to the broadcast camera after pushing a teeth and gum lolly into his mouth.

“I look forward to them having a really strong seven weeks of football and knocking a few teams off,” he said.

“Put them (the top teams) under some pressure. And, you know, let them know that when they play Port, you have to bring your best like Brisbane did tonight.”

He said Gold Coast recruit Jack Lukosius’s return from a long-term knee injury on Saturday showed the potential of the side’s forward line.

“We’ll play really hard to the end of the year, whenever the end of the year is,” the coach said.

“But it looks like to me that 14, 15 wins is what you need to get in (to finals) anyhow.

“We showed tonight the glimpses, to those people who have been fairly critical of us during the year.

“With Lukosius back, a few things in our favour .... our last five games of football ... (the team’s) got a bright future.”

- With AAP