BRISBANE Lions coach Chris Fagan says his club will take major positives from its 40-point loss to Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night, and believes the result is another example that progress is being made. 

The solid effort was a seven-goal improvement on the Lions' 83-point loss against Port at the Gabba in round six, and was by far their best performance at Adelaide Oval in recent seasons. 

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"I think the three most recent times we've played Port Adelaide, the average losing margin had been about 85 points, the most recent of those not that long ago,'' Fagan said.

"To cut that margin in half to 40 points is a positive for our group, with where we're at.

"We're trying to grow and improve as a group. This (Adelaide Oval) is a pretty hard place to come and play. A lot of really good teams struggle at this oval. 

"The pleasing part about it was we were well and truly in the game. Probably the last five minutes it blew out just a little bit.

"It was a pleasing effort and one we'll learn a lot from."

WATCH: Chris Fagan's full post-match press conference

Fagan is convinced the Lions are on the right path and pointed to the fact that they have lost just two matches by more than 10 goals this season, well down compared to last year when they had suffered six such floggings by the same point.

The club has had a significant fortnight. It snapped a nine-match losing streak against Fremantle at the Gabba last week, and has re-signed a host of young players in June including Harris Andrews and Josh Schache.

Fagan said there was genuine belief the "tide is turning" but added the club did not want to become one which was satisfied with competitive losses.

Five talking points: Port Adelaide v Brisbane Lions

"There's a lot of belief among the young boys that they can see some blue sky at the end of it all.

"Their willingness to commit (the players who have re-signed) is a really positive sign that that is how they see it. 

"Every time we play, we play to win. We came here tonight trying to win.  

"Hopefully our fans and everyone else watching tonight realises that is what we were trying to do because that is the only way you're going to get better. 

"You've got to get disappointed from losing. Our boys were really disappointed tonight." 

Fagan said Power ruckman Paddy Ryder's stoppage ascendency was a significant factor in the result, particularly in the third term when he gave Port a telling clearance edge. 

"Paddy has had a great year and I'd imagine he'd be somewhere in line for All Australian,'' Fagan said. 

"We tried a number of things but that was sort of the game (where it was one) a little bit. That third quarter they just kept getting it out of the centre." 

Fagan said he would challenge the side to again put up a strong performance when it hosted GWS at the Gabba next Saturday night. 

Jake Barrett and Nick Robertson both left the field late in the game for the Lions but Fagan was unable to confirm if they had suffered injuries.