HAWTHORN coach Sam Mitchell has denied the ongoing racism saga in which the club is embroiled is impacting the Hawks' on-field performance.

The AFL last Tuesday said there would be no adverse findings against Alastair Clarkson, Chris Fagan or Jason Burt from an independent panel investigating claims of racism during their time at Hawthorn. All deny any wrongdoing.

On Friday night, Mitchell's former teammate Cyril Rioli was one of six complainants in the probe to publicly identify themselves in an open letter.

Mitchell is in his second season as Hawthorn coach after replacing Clarkson and his side was thrashed by 55 points by Port Adelaide on Saturday.

But Mitchell dismissed any connection between his team's form – it was 82 points down at half-time - and the racism controversy.

"It doesn't affect the team," he said.

"...Certainly the focus for all of us is really clear: that we want to be going back to winning finals, winning premierships and we're on that path and that is our clear focus."

Mitchell also said the saga wasn't impacting on him personally as coach.

"The board has done a great job ... it's not my role to deal with off-field things," he said.

"I am really clear and the board has been great at (saying) 'just you coach the football team, you help the football department, you take us back to premiership success and you be part of that group that is going to do that'.

"As a young coach I have got my hands full with coaching this group of players and getting the best out of this group and the club will handle the off-field."

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Asked on Saturday if Rioli could mend relations with the Hawks, Mitchell replied: "That will be up to him.

"Cyril has been a friend and teammate of mine for a long period of time and one day I am sure we will get in touch and chat it out.

"The whole ordeal, and just everyone involved in it, you just have to feel for everyone in the way it has played out.

"And it's impossible to know what people think and feel and all the different aspects.

"Cyril was a fantastic teammate, I loved playing footy with Cyril ... you just can't help but feel for everyone involved."

Mitchell said his time put up a good effort in the second half was excellent after an early onslaught from the Power.

"We got completely blown away by a very good side in the first half," Hawks coach Sam Mitchell said.

"At halftime, there's two ways you go.

"And the spirit of the group and the energy, and commitment and belief - tick ... really pleased with the spirit and energy we played with in the second half."

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley said his side's first-half performance against the Hawks was excellent.

"We played all parts of the game incredibly brutal, it's definitely as good a half as I have seen us play for a long, long time,"  Hinkley said.

"To expect that to continue on was probably me being a bit greedy in some ways, I just couldn't expect that from the boys.

"We just spent all the petrol in the first half when we were just so ferocious."