Port Adelaide senior coach Lauren Arnell has expressed her ‘exceptional disappointment’ over her side’s loss six-point to West Coast in Perth on Friday.
A lack of composure and accuracy on goal cost the young Power side, who were favourites heading into the game.
“We are exceptionally disappointed in the performance that we put out there tonight,” Arnell said.
“I think credit to the Eagles, they outplayed us and took their opportunities and we didn’t, so (we are) disappointed in some of the lack of discipline that we had tonight and then also the lack of composure in our front half really hurt us.
“(We had) four goals nine and they were really efficient, six goals three. We knew they'd try to get out the back of us and they were able to put some pretty efficient score on the board once they got out the back so (I’m) exceptionally disappointed right now.”
With two forced changes ahead of the clash (Indy Tahau to injury and Ash Saint to suspension), Port Adelaide’s forward line had a notably different look, but gave opportunities to players who hadn’t yet taken the field this season.
“We obviously had some forced changes to our group this week and so our front half looked really different to what is has in the first four weeks of the season,” Arnell said.
“They were able to drop their numbers back and win uncontested possession certainly in our front half and control the ball in our front half. It meant that we weren't efficient at all, and we’ve got a bit of work to do.
“I think as a forwards group, we need to be learning a fair bit from tonight's game. We lacked a bit of composure and lacked probably the pressure that we’ve been able to bring and obviously Ash Saint's been a really big part of that front half pressure in the first four weeks and we definitely missed her tonight.”
Abbey Dowrick was once again a shining light and consistent hard-worker, while experienced defender Maddy Keryk was shifted up forward and slotted her first goal in her AFLW career.
Arnell said the decision to move Keryk to the other end of the ground was based on match-ups and the contest she is able to bring.
“(Moving Maddy forward was because) the mix wasn't quite right for us and we knew that Maddy could bring a really good contest in our front half and I thought largely she did so,” Arnell said.
“It was just a positional change and it meant she could spend a little bit of time on ball for us as well. I think the main thing for Maddy's goal is the timing for the team was important. She was able to finish her work, which we need to do more of.”
Port Adelaide takes on Sydney next Saturday at Alberton Oval, with Arnell stating that consistency is something that her group needs to focus on in the week ahead.
“I think for us, we believe the brand of footy that we’ve been working on and we've implemented in patches wins us games of footy,” she said.
“We’re at a point now where we’re inconsistent through games so a big focus for us is finding a way to be consistent through four quarters of football.”
