PORT ADELAIDE needs to get better - and the review at Alberton on Monday is not short of challenging questions. The answers are to be found in much more than just questioning player talent and coaching techniques.
Port Adelaide defence coach Brett Montgomery says there also needs to be a broader debate.
"I would not leave desire and appetite out of that (review) as well," Montgomery said at Alberton while preparation turns to Sunday's clash with Collingwood at the MCG - after a solid review of the home loss to the Western Bulldogs from Saturday night.
"I am not saying our players don't come with that. I just think at times we have had lapses. I would add that to (any question) on talent and technique."
Port Adelaide's 25-point loss to the higher-ranked Western Bulldogs on Saturday night left senior coach Ken Hinkley with "good, consistent information" on what separates Port Adelaide from the league's true pacesetters - most of it relates to the contest.
"After the game it was pretty clear," said Montgomery with the Champion Data statistics recording a 147-135 win in contested football for the second-ranked Western Bulldogs.
"If we go back to the Brisbane game where we were beaten around the ball, our contest work was not as strong as theirs. I am not saying ours was not acceptable. But it was not as strong as Brisbane.
"There were some similarities in this game against the Western Bulldogs ... but it was different. We were beaten for a little bit of depth around the ball," added Montgomery in praising the deep-running options of the Western Bulldogs engine that afforded coach Luke Beveridge the luxury to place Collingwood recruit Adam Treloar outside the inner stoppages for long periods of the match.
"We were beaten not just for hardness and hunt, but a bit of depth and spread."
The "good, consistent information" allows for a measured and informed correction.
"We have to be clear as to what our group is good at as well," Montgomery said. "While we are putting it on the plate - and having the players fully aware when (certain key performance indicators) drop or dip we are in some danger - we can't be distracted too much by just that and not honing in on our own strengths.
"At times, we have not had (those strengths) on display for long enough. We showed in that second quarter (with the five-goal run in 12 minutes to wipe out a 25-point deficit) centre-bounce stoppage dominance, territory and hunt make us pretty hard to play against.
"But at the moment it has been a while since we have put four quarters together."
Port Adelaide is labelled a "flat-track bully" while achieving strong results against bottom-eight clubs but lacking consistency against finals contenders. Montgomery questions the tag.
"We were beaten by a better team (at this time)," said Montgomery of the loss to the Western Bulldogs. "The teams that have beaten us so far (West Coast, Brisbane and the Western Bulldogs) have been better teams on the day.
"It is a bit lazy and a bit easy to give us that label. We have been beaten by better teams at the time and we are working really hard on our game to tighten up a few things and make sure we are growing.
"But when you talk about West Coast, Brisbane and the Western Bulldogs, we are talking about top-end talent. And if we are guilty of beating teams we should beat then (the labels) are unfair.
"Our form has been up and down - it is slightly different to the type of game we played last year. While we are aware of that, we are addressing it week to week. And there are other teams that have improved. We are a pretty good footy team. But at the moment we are not a great team that can knock off every team we play against."
On the injury and selection front, Port Adelaide's defence will be without in-form key defender Tom Clurey for at least six weeks after surgery on Sunday to wire his jaw that was broken in a head clash during the second quarter on Saturday evening.
This puts Trent McKenzie in the frame for a recall - with the depth chart at Alberton including Jarrod Lienert. Defence options also are strengthened with first-year half-back Lachie Jones having built touch and fitness after ankle surgery and Dan Houston being in the frame after resting his sore shoulder.
McKenzie, a stand-out defender last year, has not played AFL this season with his pre-season affected by injury setbacks.
"It is a pretty competitive spot that key defensive spot," said defence coach Montgomery. "It has been unfortunate for Trent that he has missed out - and we are lucky that he has been waiting in the wings ready to go. And he is playing great footy.
"Most people see Trent's elite foot skills and we do as well. That will be an great inclusion. But it is his contest that is the thing that sets him almost apart from the others. When he is in good form, his contest is elite. He has taken some of the biggest scalps in footy.
"When we had Aliir Aliir come into the club (from Sydney), Tom Clurey in great form and Tom Jonas as an outstanding captain, it always was going to be tight for spots.
"With Trent having a limited preparation, after finishing fifth in the best-and-fairest and voted our most-improved player at his ripe old age (29), he was pretty stiff to miss out."
