‘Really poor’ Power will bounce back, says coach Ken Hinkley

PORT Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley insists Saturday’s Showdown flop was a case of one bad day — not a sign of deeper problems at Alberton.

ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA - APRIL 02: Port Adelaide coach, Ken Hinkley and the players leave the field after the round two AFL match between the Adelaide Crows and the Port Adelaide Power at Adelaide Oval on April 2, 2016 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Morne de Klerk/Getty Images)

• Power crushed by Crows
• Bone rates the Port players
• Showdown in pictures

PORT Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley insists Saturday’s Showdown flop was a case of one bad day — not a sign of deeper problems at Alberton.

“Lots. Lots went wrong,” he said.

“Adelaide played really well, they got on top of the game early on and made us pay with every opportunity they got.

“But I don’t go looking for recipes for past and future. What we got today was a side that was in much better form than us on the day and they made us pay.

“We had a really poor day today, there’s no hiding from that. But we’re going to bounce back.

“We’ll review the game and look at the things we got really wrong.

“Sometimes I reckon we’re just going to say ‘Adelaide got it done too well for us’.”

In Showdown 40 the Power was outgunned and outclassed by an Adelaide side that scored the biggest first-half total in derby history before cruising to a 58-point victory.

Where Port was able to respond in the final term against a weaker St Kilda six days earlier, the Power had no reply from the first bounce to the Crows’ hard-running, overlap system.

In contrast, the Power’s forward pressure and midfield accountability on the rebound was poor.

Alarmingly, Champion Data analysis shows Adelaide scored 10.2 — almost half its score — from chains of play that began in the Crows’ defensive 50.

The AFL average is 15 points.

“The concern is they’ve been able to get through us and penetrate,” Hinkley said.

“You’d have to say the way we played today, we’d have to question ourselves on are we aggressive enough with our defence or are we a bit cautious.

“If you become cautious the results you get in the last two weeks is what we’ve got.

“If you’re going to kick it straight up in the air all the time, they (the opposition) get to zone off and do the play they want to do.

“They got the game on their terms and they played the game on their terms. Not just in our forward 50 or the middle of the ground, they got it in all three parts of the ground.”

McDERMOTT’S FIVE POINTS

1. No Angus Monfries. No Paddy Ryder. No Tom Clurey. No Hamish Hartlett and no Jay Schulz meant no Port Adelaide. It’s only one loss but the worries are real at Alberton.

2. When Sam Jacobs plays well the Crows are a different team. He will need a spell at some time of the season and it is not Josh Jenkins’ role to relieve him - but it is Don Pyke’s future headache.

3. More balls go over the top of the Power defence, ending up in walk-in goals to the Crows. Their press is too tight and the repercussions are too great. Three in the first quarter, more in the second, some in the third and plenty in the last.

4. The modern game demands efficient ball use. The Power’s efficiency numbers are poor. The Crows highest three possession winners went at 69 per cent and above. The Power’s best three went at 56.5 per cent or below!

5. Adelaide Oval was in terrible condition. The pride of South Australia is in jeopardy of becoming an embarrassment. Ange Postecoglou wasn’t thrilled when here with the Socceroos and while it had little effect on the game, it has significant effect on the look of the game.