POOR starts are an issue needing to be addressed, says Power vice-captain Ollie Wines following Port Adelaide’s loss to Essendon at on Sunday night. 

The visitors were overrun in the first half of their Round 4 hitout at Etihad Stadium; the Bombers booting five goals to the Power’s two in the first term and stretching that to a 27-point lead at the major break.

“Our trend this year is that we’re getting done in first quarters, putting ourselves behind the eight-ball and when we try to get back in the game, we’re not able to,” Wines said post-game.

“That’s an issue we have to address….tonight was another disappointing first quarter, we put ourselves four or five gaols down early and at AFL footy [level] these days, it’s incredibly hard to catch up from that.”

The Power have had disappointing starts in three of their four clashes this year; and despite eventuating victors against Fremantle, Sydney and Brisbane, Wines says the group is frustrated by their inconsistency. 

“At the moment we know what we’ve got on the field, we know what we’ve got out there, but it is frustrating the way we are playing…we’re so inconsistent throughout quarters and throughout games and we’re yet to string a four-quarter performance together,” he said.

The Power showed some promise in the third term, clawing their way back into the game late in the quarter, but were unable to overcome a firing Dons side who eventuated 22-point victors.

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