THERE were pros and cons in Sydney’s 19-point win over Port Adelaide on Saturday, but coach Dean Cox was happy to focus firmly on the positives.

The Swans’ goalkicking was far from their best effort, with full-forward Joel Amartey having a horror outing to finish with 0.6 from nine shots on goal – eight of them set shots.

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But the return of stars Errol Gulden and Tom Papley, along with Amartey who had played one senior game in the past two months, saw Sydney returning to something approaching its dominant 2024 form.

"Tonight was the first time we've had all our leaders play for the year," Cox said post-match.

"It's good to have them all back."

Gulden finished the match with 18 disposals and 392 metres gained in a better-than-serviceable game, and while he'll only get better, Cox rates his star midfielder by more than kicks and handballs.

"You talk about Errol and what he can do with the ball and how much he gets it, but it's the way he understands the game, what the state of the game is suggesting, how he can help his teammates get into better spots to help the team.

"And then just with the energy he brings and the standards that he demands.

"(Gulden and Papley) are two crucial people, they're leaders of our football club."

While the goalkicking yips gave Cox concern, he was able to see it as a glass half-full situation.

"Not ideal," Cox said of the 9.17 scoreline.

"But to give ourselves opportunities, that's probably the first thing I look at.

"Previously we were the second-best set-shot team - tonight, we were nowhere near it."

Asked how the club would handle Amartey after his goalkicking meltdown, Cox said, "You sit down with the player, have a brief chat tonight, follow him up tomorrow.

"It is hard, the mental side of it, when you are missing shots you probably normally would kick them from."

Despite the result, Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley wasn't throwing out the baby with the bathwater as his side sits on equal points with Sydney and is still a chance to play finals in Hinkley's last season at the reins.

"To be fair, the scoreboard was flattering," he conceded post-match.

"We’ve got to move quickly past today and understand it wasn't at a level that we have been for the last two weeks.

"We've played a much better brand of football and we know that’s what we're capable of, and we also know what the key ingredients are to play that brand of football, and that is to handle some of the pressure at times.

"It's to take territory when you need to, it's not to make fundamental skill errors at times."

The Power will be hoping to welcome back important players of their own as the season heads towards the business end but has no guarantees, with Ollie Wines and Aliir Aliir missing Saturday after sustaining minor knee injuries in the round 14 win over Melbourne.

"Right here, right now I'd say, very best, 50-50," Hinkley said of Wines' likelihood of returning for next Thursday's home clash against Carlton.

"Aliir probably a little bit better than that."

Hinkley added that Jack Lukosius would likely play at one level or another next week.