Having talked up the need to play hard, physical football in 2016 – what the club describes as "Port Adelaide football" – the Power's meek second half against the Demons saw them overrun.

 

They led by as many as 30 points in the second term before conceding seven unanswered goals to lose by 19 points.

 

Coach Ken Hinkley slammed his side's effort and intensity, and it was a sentiment echoed by Hombsch on Monday.

 

But Hombsch insisted the loss wasn't an accurate reflection of the team and that it would look to rebound strongly in its final NAB Challenge game against the Tigers on March 10.  

 

"You go out to win every game and we want to show everyone what we can do and it was a really disappointing result and Ken was annoyed," Hombsch said.

 

"We showed in the first half that our method and our game plan works… they turned up the heat a little bit and we just couldn't quite handle it.

 

"We've got nine days until Richmond and we've got another shot at it… we've just got to concentrate on that and try and show four quarters of effort and four quarters of Port Adelaide footy and we'll be right.

 

"It's not us, we do work hard here… a lack of effort's not acceptable and we're going to be held accountable for that."

 

Helping the Power's cause against the Tigers will be the return of Chad Wingard, who was a late withdrawal on Saturday due to hamstring tightness.

 

Key forward Charlie Dixon has started running again after minor knee surgery, although Hombsch wasn't sure whether he'd be fit before round one.