PORT ADELAIDE forward Charlie Dixon has given a frank assessment of his side’s failings in the loss to Hawthorn on Saturday, claiming a lack of leadership and ill-discipline cost the Power the win.

Port went down by three points in Hawthorn despite an impressive first quarter showing in which it controlled the game and built a four-goal lead at quarter time.

The momentum slowly turned in the second quarter as free kicks and costly 50 metre penalties allowed the Hawks back into the contest.

“With all the 50 metres, that kills us,” Dixon said on Adelaide radio station Triple M.

“I think we went down the line too much and played into their hands.

“Their zone was really good, they set up and didn’t let us go through the corridor.

“We switched it a few times, then we got stuck over the other side and didn’t have the right amount of representation down the line and ended up turning the ball over.”

Dixon said the Power’s ball movement was poor after quarter time.

He said his side had to get back to basics to address the skill errors that plagued it in the loss to the Hawks.

“We were never really out of it,” he said.

“We let them score off our turnovers and we’ve got to be better at it and take more care with the ball all over the ground.

“When we did get it forward, we had shallow entries and then they went down the other end and punished us for it.”

Dixon said after assessing the performance a lack of leadership stood out, particularly on the discipline front.

“Us leaders didn’t lead well throughout the game and if we lead well all the others will follow,” he said.

“We should have set ourselves up for a strong end to the season and now we’ve got to fight tooth and nail - and that’s on us.”

The Power has a chance to respond against the reigning Premier Richmond on Friday night.

Port remains in the top eight on percentage but a win against the Tigers would set up an important three weeks with further home games against the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne to follow.

“We’ve got to respond and unfortunately that’s what it has come down to lately is responding where it should just be that consistent mindset every game,” Dixon said.

“We’re inconsistent and we’ve just got to come out and try and play Port Adelaide footy.”

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