Port Adelaide's Charlie Dixon looks dejected after losing the preliminary final against the Western Bulldogs on September 11, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos

KEN HINKLEY was at a loss to explain Saturday night's "disaster", saying he needed more time to digest the 71-point preliminary final loss to the Western Bulldogs.

The Port Adelaide coach said post-match was not a good time to break down the specifics, other than the fact he was overwhelmed by "total disappointment" for the second straight year.

Port lost to Richmond by six points in the corresponding match in 2020, and this time were never in the contest after the Bulldogs piled on five unanswered goals in the opening 10 minutes.

07:50

Highlights: Port Adelaide v Western Bulldogs

The Power and Bulldogs clash in the Preliminary Finals

"This game, you put everything into it, and you give it everything you've got … we all work so damn hard to get to where we want to go and it gets ripped away from you, ripped out of your hands," Hinkley said.

"There's nothing more you can say other than you're totally disappointed.

"It's real and it hurts.

POWER v BULLDOGS Full match coverage and stats

"I'm sure people realise how much it means, but when you're working in it day-to-day and you're playing and you're training and giving everything you've got, you just rip everything out of your insides and it hurts for too long.

"We set up to win, we don't set up to fall short and the closer you get, the harder and more disappointing that loss is.

"You've got to wish you can get back here next year and take the chance the hurt is going to be bad again if you get to the same position and lose."

10:09

Hinkley: 'The closer you get, the harder and more disappointing that loss is'

Watch Ken Hinkley's media conference after Port Adelaide's loss to the Western Bulldogs in the preliminary final

Hinkley said there was no excuses for Port's performance after having an ideal build-up following the qualifying final win over Geelong.

They were outhunted in the first quarter as the Bulldogs won the contested ball (48-25) and clearances (15-6) to take total control.

"They put us enormous pressure around the ball, they put it forward, they turned it into goals.

"Then we had to start chasing everything because it was a prelim final, there was no tomorrow, you have to start to go for stuff, which probably turns the game into as big a disaster as it was by the end.

"What you need, what you want and what you hope and wish for at the end of tonight, we got nowhere near that, and it probably needs a bit of time to digest and think clearly through it."

Hinkley said there was no one area that needed to improve ahead of 2022, but the entire team.

ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS

  • 00:42

    Schoolmates combine to get Dogs off to a flyer

    Bailey Smith and Laitham Vandermeer kicked back-to-back goals to give the Doggies the jump over Port

    AFL
  • 00:25

    Brutal Wines breaks through for Port's first

    Ollie Wines has kicked Port's first goal with this brilliant snap

    AFL
  • 01:14

    Dogs end first with a flurry to cap off epic quarter

    Bailey Smith and Mitch Hannan both kicked their second goals within a minute of each other to give their side a 37-point lead

    AFL
  • 00:51

    Treloar leaves Port for dust as Hannan makes it three

    Adam Treloar went on an incredible run which set up a brilliant third goal for Mitch Hannan

    AFL
  • 00:48

    The Bont is all class with super goal

    Marcus Bontempelli snagged his second goal with this incredible running finish

    AFL
  • 00:36

    Power forwards start second half with a bang

    Charlie Dixon and Todd Marshall combined to give Port two early goals to start the second half

    AFL
  • 00:33

    Smith goes whack with long-range bomb

    Bailey Smith nailed his third goal of the game with this effort from beyond the 50m arc

    AFL
  • 07:50

    Highlights: Port Adelaide v Western Bulldogs

    The Power and Bulldogs clash in the Preliminary Finals

    AFL
  • 02:13

    Baz dazzles on prelim stage with four of the best

    Bailey Smith blasts four goals past Port to lead the Doggies to a Grand Final berth

    AFL
  • 10:09

    Hinkley: 'The closer you get, the harder and more disappointing that loss is'

    Watch Ken Hinkley's media conference after Port Adelaide's loss to the Western Bulldogs in the preliminary final

    AFL
  • 19:08

    Beveridge: 'I'm proud of Treloar and bloody disappointed in a few nasty people'

    Watch Luke Beveridge's media conference after the win over Port Adelaide in the preliminary final

    AFL
  • 14:57

    Mini Match: Port Adelaide v Western Bulldogs

    Extended highlights of the second preliminary final clash between the Power and Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval

    AFL