Port Adelaide suffered a 36-point Round 2 loss at the hands of South Adelaide at Alberton Oval on Saturday but coach, Matthew Lokan said the game was won and lost in a damaging third quarter.
“Other than 15 minutes in the third quarter I thought we were pretty competitive,” he said.
“South kicked seven-goals-to-two and we ended up losing by six goals, so we weren’t able to execute consistently - but when we did we looked pretty good.
“Our best shows that we are good enough, but we weren’t consistent enough today to be able to perform across the whole game.
“It was more to do with South’s pressure than our poor ball use.”
The Magpies lost the services of captain Cam Sutcliffe (hamstring) and Aidyn Johnson (concussion) after quarter time, but Lokan was proud of the way his side ran out the game - especially his defenders who had to deal with 59 inside 50s to Port’s 44.
“To lose two guys in the first quarter and still grind it out (was pleasing),” he said.
“All in all I thought our backs were pretty solid, we just turned the ball over at times which was pretty ordinary, and they (South) were able to take their opportunities.
”I thought Matty Broadbent was really solid today - he is starting to get some continuity into his football while Riley Grundy played his first senior game and held his own.
“I am really confident in our list and the guys that come in every week.”
After 44 disposals last week Jack Trengove was once again the standout player for Port with 42 disposals, 13 marks, 10 tackles and seven clearances, while Sam Mayes (31 disposals), Kai Pudney (30) and Trent McKenzie (27 and two goals) also found plenty of the football.
“Todd Marshall came back and had an impact, he got through a full game which was important, Jack Trengove had 40 plus disposals again and Billy Frampton was pretty solid, especially when he went into the ruck,” Lokan said.
“All in all we take some positives out of the game.”