SHOWDOWN one week with a vocal, appreciative crowd at Adelaide Oval to watch Port Adelaide against the reigning AFLW champions. The long bus trip to Frankston to deal with a fellow AFLW newcomer the next.

Day and night ...

And with it comes the test of Lauren Arnell's "Inaugurals" to prepare and present in the same way for Saturday's round seven away clash with Hawthorn with the same professionalism that is naturally invoked by a derby at home.

Arnell's post-Showdown review - after the 10-goal loss to Adelaide in AFLW Showdown I - did more than take the learning from the derby. The coach also notes professionalism in sport is defined by attitude, commitment and work ethic ... not pay scales.

"Consistency in performance with a young group is a focus for us. Not just performance on the weekend, but also how you apply yourself during the week," Arnell said at Alberton on Friday.

"That is a big part of our learning this year. We have 16 of our 30 players who are first-year AFLW players. Part of my role - and that of the coaching group - is teaching our young group how to be elite athletes and how to perform consistently at training and at games."

It is a significant statement for a team that is seven years behind the start line of AFLW Season 1 ... and on a fast-tracked learning curve that became very steep in last week's derby clash with Adelaide.

This week, Port Adelaide is to be measured at the other extreme - against another fellow newcomer to the AFLW playing catch-up in the 18-team national women's league. So far, Port Adelaide has proven itself better than Season 7 addition Sydney. This time the "power rankings" of the newcomers is adjusted in this evening clash with the in-form Hawthorn which has put together two wins in a row by beating Sydney and West Coast.

And for Arnell, the way her players work - on and off the field - is more relevant than the scoreboard at Frankston.

"The measure for me," says Arnell, "is: If we play our game style we create our own results."

That style is clearly defined and detailed in Arnell's playbook - and it is strongly linked to Port Adelaide traditions.

"We like to think of ourselves as a contested team," Arnell said. "I am slightly disappointed we are not the No. 1 tackling team in the competition any more. We are still right up there ...

"What I do hear from those who watched the game last week is they saw the Port Adelaide brand. Despite the scoreboard, they saw a hard, contested brand of footy for four quarters. That is something we pride ourselves on.

"We are coming up against another new team; we take the strong lessons from a benchmark team last week ... for me, we continue to implement all the things that we are trying.

"I am looking for consistency and more development from a team perspective on how we want to play footy."

While Arnell has a deep focus on establishing a strong foundation for Port Adelaide's newest football program, there is no hiding from the scoreboard - in particular last week's 0.3 against Adelaide.

"We are judged on every result," Arnell said. "We take as much as possible out of each game. The scoreboard was not (true); the score did not reflect where we are at as a footy club.

"The learnings we take (from the Showdown) are most valuable.

"(And there was) plenty ... Adelaide has set the benchmark for the competition from Season 1, so for us as a new team it is another opportunity to keep learning.

"We are better than not scoring a goal. They were able to implement their game plan better than us on the night. They played some really good footy - and have been playing some really good footy.

"For us, it is seeking consistency ... (and) a really good strong learning from what is the benchmark of the competition."

Arnell notes the Showdown's image - and prospects - in living up to the euphoria created by the men's derby since 1997 was not damaged by a one-side football contest.

"To have more than 20,000 South Australians has left (Victorians) blown away by the support of football and women's footy in South Australia," Arnell said.

"The result was not what we were after, (but) we already have players talking about the next Showdown. We will keep getting better ... and I'd like to think there will be even more people at the next Showdown."

Arnell paid tribute to Port Adelaide's off-field staff who made the derby a celebration of women in South Australian sport, including her leaders in the football department - Olympians Juliet Haslam and Rachael Sporn.

"Juliet Haslam (in hockey) and Rachael Sporn (in basketball) have led the way for women's sport - it was a special moment for them as well," Arnell said.

"I am so grateful to the people who turned out. It was a significant moment, not just for both clubs but women in sport in SA. While we are disappointed with the result, to be part of that was something pretty special - and our playing group will certainly treasure that."

The Showdown was played amid continued commentary of the merit of a national women's league in comparison to the men's game.

Arnell's response on the newspaper column that reignited the debate was sharp: "I am (only) interested in providing oxygen to worthwhile conversations."

The match against Hawthorn on Saturday starts at 6.40pm ACDT.