PORT Adelaide will add some tough contested work to its pre-game warm-up as it attempts to find a solution to its shoddy starts.
The Power have trailed at half-time in three of their four games, with the round one win against Fremantle (+21 in the first half) the only time they have been ahead at the main break.
They have given away deficits to Sydney (-14 points), Brisbane (-11) and Essendon (-27) at half-time over the past three rounds.
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But they have been able to finish off games strongly, with a combined advantage of 87 points in eight quarters to win three of their first four games.
The Power admit they are still getting used to the new regulations around pre-game warm-ups.
Teams only spend a handful of minutes before the first bounce on the ground, with the majority of the warm-up conducted in the change rooms.
At the moment, the Power do some run throughs, stretching and a little bit of lane kicking on the ground.
Power assistant coach Brendon Lade said that could change as they look to address their slow starts.
"We might do some more intense stuff on the ground as well, we're throwing up everything at the moment because our starts are not good enough," Lade said.
"Might do some handball games, some contested stuff, get them up and going early.
"We're adjusting, as every team is, to the new warm-up, but that's not an excuse at all.
"We need to start better, and we haven't.
"After half-time, we've won nearly every game.
"For us to come out of the blocks better, get a better start and to stay in the game from the start, is what we're after."
The Power will put their new warm-up routine to the test when they host Geelong at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.
Tale of two halves
First half
Round one: Port Adelaide 8.7 (55) v Fremantle 5.4 (34). Plus 21
Round two: Port Adelaide 4.4 (28) v Sydney 6.6 (42). Minus 14
Round three: Port Adelaide 7.7 (49) v Brisbane 9.6 (60). Minus 11
Round four: Port Adelaide 4.7 (31) v Essendon 9.4 (58). Minus 27
Second half
Round one: Port Adelaide 8.7 (55) v Fremantle 4.2 (26). Plus 29
Round two: Port Adelaide 10.6 (66) v Sydney 4.5 (29). Plus 37
Round three: Port Adelaide 7.6 (48) v Brisbane 5.2 (32). Plus 16
Round four: Port Adelaide 8.5 (53) v Essendon 7.6 (48). Plus 5
