‘Frustrated’ Port Adelaide vows to get to the bottom of why it loses so many close games

Port Adelaide’s coaching staff will leave no stone unturned in trying to work out why the Power can’t close out close games as its horrific run of narrow losses threaten to derail another season.

Teammates celebrate after Matthew Broadbent, middle, scores a goal during the SANFL match against North Adelaide at Alberton Oval on Sunday. Picture: AAP Image/ Morgan Sette

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Port Adelaide has vowed to continue to work on strategies to close out games as its horror run of narrow losses threaten to derail another season.

The Power’s shock seven-point loss to an undermanned Richmond at Adelaide Oval on Saturday was its 15th defeat from its past 20 matches that have been decided by 10 points or fewer since 2015 — a winning percentage of only 25.

Assistant coach Nathan Bassett described Port’s inability to win more of its close matches as “certainly frustrating’’ and an area of concern for a team which started the season with consecutive victories but has lost its past two — by 17 points to Brisbane and seven to the Tigers — to fall back into the pack.

Dejected Port Adelaide players leave the ground after the loss to Richmond on Saturday night. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

The Power led the Lions by 10 points 20 minutes into the final quarter at the Gabba before conceding the last four goals.

It led Richmond by four points 23 minutes into the last term at Adelaide Oval before coughing up the final two goals.

“In the past few years we’ve had similar games where we can’t quite be consistent enough when it counts,’’ Bassett said.

“We are in a place where we can win it but don’t get it done, which is disappointing.

“We are continuously looking to educate and improve so that we can be the best team that we can be and win more of those close games.

“We certainly spent a lot of time this pre-season in that space, with at least one game scored at every training session so that the guys are getting to practice those late-in-a-game moments.

“We showed some better signs in some of those phases, whether it be from up or behind, in the pre-season and the early (two) rounds but not in the past two weeks.

“We had our opportunities late in the game and didn’t take advantage of them and Richmond did.’’

Port lost at home to a Tigers team which was without its four best players — Brownlow Medallists Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin, five-times All-Australian defender Alex Rance and triple Coleman Medallist Jack Riewoldt.

This week it plays its first Good Friday match against premier West Coast in Perth — a team it has beaten just once of its past seven encounters since 2015.

Five of those games have been decided by 10 points or less.

Port lost the lead late against Richmond despite having 11 more inside 50s and five more clearances in the final term.

Port Adelaide’s Todd Marshall celebrates one of his four goals against North Adelaide in the SANFL on Sunday. Picture: MORGAN SETTE (AAP).

The Power could make some selection changes, with several players performing strongly in Sunday’s 21-point SANFL triumph against premier North Adelaide at Alberton Oval.

They included tall defender Jarrod Lienert (33 disposals, nine marks), key forward Todd Marshall (four goals, 18 disposals, five marks) and veteran rebounding backman Matthew Broadbent (21 disposals, five rebound 50s and a goal).

Jack Trengove continues to knock the selection door down, with his 35 disposals following on from his 86 in the opening two rounds.

“The pleasing thing in the SANFL is that some players are playing some really good football and putting pressure on players in the AFL side,’’ Bassett said.

“A couple of tall guys were good again. Lienert, it was good to see him play some good footy, and it was great for Todd to jump hard, be in the contest and get his hands on the ball.

“I’m sure he’ll come into calculations this week as well.’’

Vice-captain Hamish Hartlett missed a second consecutive week with a sore hamstring and Bassett said he would have his availability for this weekend assessed at training.