ACTING senior coach Alan Richardson says Port Adelaide’s starts need to improve if it is to be a genuine contender this season.

Port Adelaide was comprehensively beaten in the first half last week by West Coast and fell five goals behind Adelaide in Round 4.

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Port slid 33 points behind North Melbourne by quarter time in Saturday’s match in Hobart.

Despite its now characteristic goal surges, it was unable to overcome that deficit by the close of play, eventually falling by 10 points.

For Richardson, the final margin disguised what was an otherwise poor performance with the Power soundly beaten in contested possessions and in “the outside play”.

He said the club’s poor start, which saw it concede seven consecutive goals in the first term, was a worrying trend that had to be rectified quickly.

“Overall we got beaten, clearly got beaten,” Richardson said post-match.

“We were disappointed with the start, it’s something that the leadership group and the coaches - which is one and the same - had spoken about during the week.

“That’s happened too often. Whilst they’ve been impressive results to come from so far back against the Crows and West Coast, we’re not going to beat teams like the Kangaroos giving that sort of start.

“To lose the first quarter by five goals, and lose the game by 10 points is in many ways where the game was at.”

He was pleased with the team’s resolve to overcome much of the deficit throughout the game and said senior players Travis Boak and Alipate Carlile were among the Power’s best.

Richardson will resume his regular duties as Port Adelaide’s director of coaching and strategy after filling the senior coaching role in the absence of Ken Hinkley.

Hinkley was grounded by a virus and unable to fly to Hobart this week, but is expected to recover fully and resume as senior coach this week against Richmond.