PORT Adelaide has fallen short of its own expectations, so the demands on the football program will rise at Alberton in the search for stronger - and more consistent - form during the finish to the home-and-away series.

There is to be no early entry to 2023 pre-season mode for Port Adelaide.

This agenda was set from early morning on Monday as Port Adelaide dealt with the reality that at 8-11, the AFL team is out of the top-eight finals race.

"We met as coaches this morning," said defence coach Chad Cornes, "to work on ways to prepare better during the week.

"(Senior coach) Ken Hinkley was firm this morning. His attitude is about looking at ways to get better and make the most of these next three weeks. Ken is really keen to get the most out of these three weeks.

"We are looking at the (weekday) schedule to find more hands-on time with the players. We want to maximise the last three weeks to get some strong momentum into next year."

Port Adelaide's season objective of qualifying for a third consecutive AFL finals series ended on Saturday afternoon with a six-point loss to the finals-bound Collingwood at the MCG.

The immediate questions are on Port Adelaide's approach, particularly at selection, for the remaining three rounds of the home-and-away series.

"It is a tough balance," Cornes conceded of the issues at selection. "We are still out to win every game and perform strongly in every game.

"At the weekend we tried (wingman) Kane Farrell in the backline and saw some positive signs there.

"There is (2020 national draftee, No. 49) Ollie Lord who has played all year in the SANFL and during the past month has performed pretty strongly in defence. His size (197cm) is something we are lacking in defence. That can be part of the discussion (at match committee). All those options, I am sure, will be on the table."  

Port Adelaide's season at best can now finish at 11-11 with wins against Richmond, Essendon and the year-ending Showdown with Adelaide on Saturday, August 20.

Since the Hinkley era began in 2013, Port Adelaide has had only one season with a sub-par win-loss ratio - in 2016 with a 10-12 win-loss count and 10th ranking in an 18-team competition.

"We will maximise every week, every training session - and every game," Cornes said.

The key notes from Port Adelaide's recent matches - which have delivered a 1-4 win-loss count - emphasise the dramatic shift in form during matches and the costly turnover rate. All of this was obvious during the time-on period of the first term against Collingwood.

"Obviously, our skill level at the moment is way off where it needs to be - and not at an acceptable level," Cornes said.

"The frustrating thing is our good footy is really strong. It is as good as most in the AFL. There are drop offs we have had in games - and the momentum swings with the goals we give up that we shouldn't. The example is the first quarter at the weekend. It was a really strong quarter, until we gave up two goals with two minutes to play - it is not good enough. The inconsistency with what we deliver in games is the main area of frustration for everyone.

"Executing under pressure; not having those lapses ... the difference at quarter-time on Saturday in going four goals up rather than two is all from giving up two goals we should never give up. There were a lot of defensive breakdowns - and (the turnover goals) really flatten the mood.

"We were playing a nice brand of footy. We were clearly on top. And we gave up two goals that fired up Collingwood and flattened us. Staying switched on and treating every contest as important as the last one is what we have to be better at."

Selection for the home clash with Richmond will include former captain Travis Boak, who has been declared available after scans on the hand that was injured on Saturday.

And the long-running ruck question continues to deliver key forward Jeremy Finlayson as the answer ahead of young ruckmen Sam Hayes and mid-season draftee Brynn Teakle.

"Sam Hayes had a really good game in his last performance in the SANFL and Brynn has impressed everyone in his time there," Cornes said. "But you would only pick them as a ruckmen. Yet, we (with Finlayson and Charlie Dixon) won clearances, won first possession by a clear margin on Saturday and what Finlayson does around the ground with his follow-up work is stronger than what the ruckmen offer. The midfield coaches are loving what Finlayson gives when he is in ruck.

"The discussion continues, but what Jeremy has done is outperforming what Sam Hayes and Brynn Teakle can do at this stage."

The bigger questions on how Port Adelaide deals with the disappointment of Season 2022 will take longer to resolve. But Cornes is not seeing a football program that has run its race and needs a new direction.

"As a first-year line coach I am questioning myself, whether I am doing everything right during the week to make sure the backs and team defence is at the level it needs to be," Cornes said. "During the past couple of weeks, it has not - not from our backs and not from team defence. I am always looking at myself and things I could do more or do better during the week. All the coaches are.

"We are all - players and coaches - in together looking at ways to be better. We understand this year has been way off where we expected and need to be.

"As a first-year line coach, Ken (Hinkley) has been great for me. The connection with the players, coaches and staff is as good as it has ever been. I have said it a million times before, we are 100 per cent behind Ken Hinkley. We understand the frustration among our supporters - I get that more than anyone after being here for more than 20 years. We expect to win at Port Adelaide. And it is not good enough when we don't. So, I completely understand why the supporters are frustrated and the anger that is out there.

"(They should be reassured) we are looking at everything in the program to make sure we are getting back to where we need to be.

"In my first year in this role, I am more excited than anyone. I don't have any sense (that the program) is stale. The attitude of the boys is good. At the main training sessions, the players are working hard - and harder than any other group I have been with. There is no staleness. It is just the inconsistency and basic skill level that need to be addressed. Some of the turnovers we produced put us in a position that was not up to AFL standard."

Port Adelaide's record of losing games decided by 14 points or less this season is a costly 2-7.

"Over the previous couple of years, we won the majority of close games," Cornes said. "And it can be in the back of your mind that when you are in that position ... you just have to trust yourself to keep taking the game on. We have good structures in place for when games get tight. We have not executed them as well as we would like this year. The balls we give back to the opposition are turnovers that should not happen. And our ability to defend after doing that has not been as strong or as desperate as we have seen in the past couple of years.

"In defence, we have had a lot of players rotate through there by injury or form. But what I loved on the weekend is (father-son recruit) Jase Burgoyne. He was one during the first half ... when other guys were losing contests they would not normally give up, Jase was the one who stood strong in every contest. He was more active in offence and kicked a really nice goal in the last quarter.

"We are still getting too aggressive in defence, coming forward on balls we cannot impact - and giving the opposition easy looks out the back and over the top. That is something I, as defence coach, need to address because it has become an issue against teams that play free-flowing, aggressive offence. Getting the balance (on how far upfield the defence goes) is something I am really looking at for the remaining three games of the season.”