PORT ADELAIDE'S contested football numbers will be prime viewing during Sunday's away clash with Collingwood at the MCG - and vice-captain and midfield bull Ollie Wines will be looking at more than the "win" and "lost" categories.
Wines expects the response to the high focus on Port Adelaide's clearance and contested numbers - quickly put on the agenda by coach Ken Hinkley on Saturday night after the 25-point home loss to the highly ranked Western Bulldogs - to be noted by how desperate the team appears at stoppages. And how many repeat stoppages Port Adelaide forces.
"That is where it starts, particularly at clearance ... we have not been good at certain moments, particularly early in games," said Wines reflecting on the poor starts in the losses to top-eight rivals West Coast, Brisbane and the Western Bulldogs.
"We have made it a big focus this week.
"It is quarters and moments where we are getting put away at the moment," added Wines, noting the first-term collapse in contested football to the Western Bulldogs ultimately proved costly.
"It is not (about) changing how you go about things (at stoppages) ... it is more about being desperate ... (knowing) you don't have to win the contest, but halve it. Make it a scrap, particularly early in games when the momentum of the game is on the line.
"It is important to recognise the moment and understand you don't have to win every contest; halving it and going again is as good as a win.
"At times, you think winning (the contest) is the only option ... (but) going to another stoppage or getting a ball-up is as important. It can build the pressure on the opposition. It puts you into that mindset of scrapping and clawing for every inch."
Champion Data statistics now rank Port Adelaide as 10th of 18 for clearances and leave the impression too much is falling on the shoulders of Wines and former captain Travis Boak, more so with the loss by injury of the experienced Tom Rockliff.
"I don't think so. We have got a lot of confidence in the guys around us," Wines said. "They are more than adequate to take that load with us. Obviously, it is what Boaky and I do as players - that is what we have to do. We will do that and we have trust in the guys around to come in to fill those other roles.
"We all have to do more at the moment, even myself and Boaky are down a little bit in that area - particularly contested possession and probably around clearance. So, it is not just for others (to lift) it is for everyone."
Port Adelaide's midfield also is charged with striking a stronger connection with the forwards.
"It is something we always are looking to improve," Wines said. "We have been a team that gets a lot of inside-50s and that has been our question mark at times - our connection with the forwards. We sometimes probably go to Charlie (Dixon) a bit too much and we are looking to lower our eyes and look for other avenues to goal.
"It is something we do a tremendous amount of work in and it also comes down to what the opposition gives you - and full credit to the Bulldogs, they defended us really well and defended Charlie particularly well."
Wines is aware of the labels being thrust on Port Adelaide, such as "flat-track bullies".
"We want to win every game we can," Wines said. "And those big games against good opponents. But you can't disregard (the quality of) the Bulldogs, Brisbane and West Coast.
"We're not up to the level of the Bulldogs at the moment and we are striving to get there and we have the potential to. But we have a little bit of work to do. It is good to see where you are at and what you have to work on.
"We know where we have to improve - contested ball and clearance is what swayed the game at the weekend. Against those (top-class) opponents, you can't give yourself 10-15 minutes off the ball because you will be blown away.
"Hanging tough in those games - for the whole game - is really important."
The release of team line-ups and squads will return to Thursday night with Port Adelaide to first up name a provisional squad - but with a key defender to cover the loss of Tom Clurey (broken jaw). This is expected to be Trent McKenzie for this first AFL match of the season.
"Trent McKenzie, Jarrod Lienert and Joel Garner have been in really good form in the SANFL and have been waiting to get that opportunity," Wines said. "Unfortunate for Tom, but it is good for the guys to get a chance at this level.
"We operate on the theory that our guys play a little bit better when they come into the AFL side. We have seen that from guys like (club champion) Darcy Byrne-Jones in the past and Marty Frederick recently. So we have a lot of trust in those guys."
Port Adelaide will return to the MCG for its second of two home-and-away games at the pantheon of Australian football.
"It is a big honour for us," Wines said. "We only get two, maybe three, games there in a year in the regular season. For a lot of us from Victoria it is where we have grown up watching football and we see it as the home of footy. So when we get that opportunity it is something we don't take for granted."
