PORT ADELAIDE coach Matthew Primus has admitted confidence within the squad is at an all-time low and that the team has little respect from the AFL community.

In the wake of Port's 60-point loss to North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium, Primus said he was simply at a loss to explain the lack of hunger and effort from his team.

And he confessed he did not know how his team would respond after their second straight loss to a previously winless side.

"You can go by how they are feeling right now, unfortunately they don't know how they are going to get themselves out of it. The feeling is, 'What's next? What's coming? What is the next thing we have to do to get out of it?'"

The Power coach said his team had a long way to go to earn the respect of the rest of the AFL community.

"At the moment we are not [respected] and any team that is on a losing streak won't be viewed in a great light in the AFL environment," he said.

"You only get it by being competitive week-in, week-out. That's the only way you can get it back. That's the only way teams acknowledge you and say 'You're going to be a hard team to play against."

Primus confirmed the club would look at an incident involving Daniel Motlop, who appeared to be pushed in the back by a North Melbourne fan from over the fence after the Port forward kicked a goal early in the third quarter.

"Mots copped it a bit from the crowd, so I will be disappointed if that has happened," he said.

"We will take it up further with whoever we need to, but probably he showed some restraint today."

Primus said he was entitled to expect more endeavour and fight after the loss to Gold Coast the previous week and the players owed it to themselves and their supporters.

"I thought we deserved to give it to each other more as a group. I thought they were up early for the contest and our skill level was really down and disappointing," he said.

The Port Adelaide coach said the tackle count (a season low 37) reflected the mindset of his squad against the Kangaroos.

"It shows you what our application was like today. We have been top four or five in tackles all year, so it probably shows you our attitude today, which was really disappointing."

Primus said supporters should expect more changes to the side before next Friday night's clash against Hawthorn at AAMI Stadium, with doubt hovering over ruckman Dean Brogan, who struggled in the final quarter with an Achilles injury.

"Enough of our guys aren't performing at the level that is required, so that's why we are changing our team on a weekly basis," he said.

"We understand what our bigger picture is and finding that group of players and getting them to play a style of footy that is consistent and reliable week-in, week out."