The Power were sitting pretty in fourth place on the AFL ladder after round eight with the opportunity to gain a break on the logjam of teams stuck between fifth and 14th.
However, Port Adelaide failed to capitalise on its position and after consecutive defeats finds itself back in the pack and out of the eight.
The Power players trained in two groups on Wednesday, some at Alberton and some indoors at ETSA Park, and ruckman Brendon Lade said his side was trying a number of different things in a bid to find the missing ingredient this season.
“It’s been the last four or five weeks where we’ve had a quarter-lapse or 20-minute lapse [that’s cost us] and we can’t put our finger on it,” Lade said on Wednesday.
“It’s all the little things that are letting us down in the game, so we’re tying to change a few things at training. We’re training here at ETSA and we’re going out for lunch as a team.”
The Power have also revisited a few activities they’ve tried in the past, including the leadership group sitting in on coaches’ meetings and the installation of video games in the players’ kitchen at Alberton.
“The video games will probably stay at the club for a week or so. We’ve done it before and it seemed to be a circuit breaker for us,” Lade said.
“Hopefully, they will help get a bit of confidence back into the guys and allow us to have a bit of fun together - that’s what we’re trying to get back to, having fun out on the field.”
Coach Mark Williams put the acid on his senior players following the dismal third-quarter display against Collingwood at the MCG on Sunday.
Lade, a member of the Power’s nine-man leadership group, said he - like all players - was under pressure to keep his place in the side.
“The players are feeling the heat because the coaches are doing absolutely everything and we’re not performing our duties out on the field,” he said.
The Power will be without two of its leaders this week in vice-captain Shaun Burgoyne, who is still on the comeback from a knee injury, and Chad Cornes who injured his knee and calf in the loss to the Pies.
Enigmatic forward Daniel Motlop, who was a late withdrawal from the side last week, missed Wednesday’s main training session and is in doubt with an ankle injury.
Midfielder Matt Thomas will also miss with a knee strain.
Lade predicted several changes at the selection table for Saturday night’s clash with Fremantle and said draftee Matthew Broadbent was close to making his debut.
“He’s still only 18-years-old, but I like the way he goes about it,” Lade said.
“He plays life or death football and, a bit like Jacob Surjan, gives everything he’s got. He’s been playing well in the SANFL, so if he gets an opportunity he will grab it.”
