PORT Adelaide's interim coach, Garry Hocking, believes further focus on basic defensive elements of the game will be critical in turning the club's fortunes around after a horror run in 2012.

Coaching in the wake of Matthew Primus' decision to walk away from the senior job last week, Hocking saw the Power leap from the blocks during an impressive first quarter only to fall away badly during the game's latter stages.

The Power held Hawthorn to a solitary goal during the opening term but leaked nine goals in the second and 11 in the last to finish 72 points in arrears.

"We wanted to really try and play man-on-man and at times that was really difficult," Hocking said.

"We needed to take a risk during the second quarter where they started to get on top of us at the centre bounce and we tried to get a spare going to try to help us defend first and get the ball through their defensive structures."

"What you do there is take a risk. By trying to get a spare you give them a spare and they're such a really good side at being able to use the ball."

Port raced to a three-goal lead during the opening exchanges and Hocking put this early success down to his side's ability to pressure the opposition.

Seeing that same intensity fade, however, was one of the most disappointing aspects of the afternoon for the former Geelong great.

"Tackles were up and (not) being able to sustain that over four quarters was really disappointing," he said.

"There's still some things we need to work on, no doubt, collectively and individually."

"Really working the next three weeks at those non-negotiables I spoke about. The tackling, the one-on-one stuff needs to ramp up."

"We can learn to defend a little bit better in our back 50 and there were a couple of decisions our defenders made … defenders like to go and kill the ball. At times we made the wrong judgment to kill the ball and allowed some easy goals over the back."

Far from contemplating a long-term future at Alberton, Hocking said his focus was on coaching the final three rounds against the Eagles, Lions and Tigers - nothing more.

"I still say that in four week's time I'll make that decision (whether to apply for the job permanently)," he said.

"I'm just still focused on trying to get the boys aligned every week. That decision will come in four week's time."