PORT Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has delivered a scathing assessment of his side, labelling the Power "untrustworthy, unreliable and inconsistent" after their shock 25-point loss to the Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.
Hinkley also made it clear he won't be afraid to swing the selection axe ahead of next weekend's vital Showdown 47 with cross-town rivals Adelaide.
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Riding high after beating ladder leaders Geelong last week, the Power couldn't back up that performance against the Bulldogs, who were 15th on the ladder with a 5-8 record heading into the game.
The Power players know they let an opportunity to consolidate last week's win slip. Picture: AFL Photos
"It's an inconsistent team, it's unreliable," Hinkley said.
"The word is probably 'untrustworthy' and that's what we are.
"It annoys everyone."
The weather only made the loss even more disappointing. Picture: AFL Photos
The Power (7-7) haven't won consecutive games since they beat West Coast and North Melbourne in rounds five and six.
"We can't be reliable when we need to be reliable as a football team," Hinkley said.
"I'm sure everyone who supports Port gets annoyed with it, but we're equally annoyed about it ourselves.
"Not discrediting the Bulldogs, because they outplayed us tonight for the most part in the game, but we were in a position where we should come here tonight and play strong footy again and back it up.
"We were unable to do it."
WATCH Ken Hinkley's full post-match media conference
Hinkley said the Power had no choice but to learn from their mistakes.
"You keep coming back and you keep trying to get in that moment again and give yourself another opportunity to prove to yourself that you're capable of changing that narrative that goes about us," he said.
The Power dominated the inside 50 count – 69 to 49 – and had a +21 advantage in contested possessions, but they could only kick 5.11, which proved their ultimate downfall.
"There's one stat we're not good at, and that's efficiency," Hinkley said.
"Until we fix efficiency, we'll always put ourselves in this position.
"We work hard at efficiency, but so far we continue to deliver in the same spots."
Darcy Byrne-Jones feels the heat on Saturday night. Picture: AFL Photos
Winger Karl Amon and swingman Dougal Howard will be available to return for the Showdown having served one-game suspensions, while Tom Rockliff (57 disposals), Justin Westhoff (37 disposals and three goals) and Sam Powell-Pepper (33 touches) impressed in the SANFL on Saturday.
"It doesn't force you (to make changes), but it should occur," Hinkley said.
"As we've done, we were given plenty of pats on the back last week for making some brave calls, and equally as much we should be given the same responsibility to make the calls that we need to make.
"There was plenty of people who played well in the SANFL, so we've got plenty of opportunity to look at those people."
Showdown 47 will be important for both sides, with the Crows (8-6) coming off a loss to the Cats on Friday night.
"I wouldn't have thought our players would have any trouble getting up for the game," Hinkley said.
"That's what Showdowns are about.
"When you're in this town, they're big games.
"Both teams are going to be pretty prickly."
