PORT Adelaide's results over the past three weeks have reinforced the validity of coach Ken Hinkley's game-plan, says vice-captain Brad Ebert.
What loomed as three potential losses for the Power with games against the Sydney Swans, Collingwood and Essendon could so easily have resulted in three wins had they taken their chances against the Bombers.
They managed to reduce a 24-point three-quarter time margin to just 11 in the final quarter, but couldn't capitalise when it mattered, kicking nine behinds for the term.
The club's challenge to claim another big scalp increases next weekend when it faces Hawthorn at AAMI Stadium.
Ebert said its recent performances proved Hinkley's defence-first style meant the side could match anyone.
"This last month has reinforced that the way Kenny's wanting us to play and the work we've been doing has been paying off, but yesterday was pretty disappointing," Ebert said on Monday.
"When we saw this month coming up we were excited about the challenge.
"The last couple of weeks has shown that we've been able to match it with the teams the way we want to play.
"We've got to make sure we're still backing the way that we play [against the Hawks]."
Despite wasting chance after chance in the last quarter against the Bombers, Ebert predicted the match review would focus on the second quarter blowout.
The Bombers booted six unanswered goals to take a 25-point lead into the main break and from there the Power were always on the back foot.
"In that second quarter especially we just weren't able to stem that flow and gave them six easy goals in that 15-minute period," Ebert said.
"[The focus will be] more on the second quarter and just how they were able to move the ball so freely and openly.
"That was something that we really work on during the week and pride ourselves on most of the season – that covering their outlets – so that was pretty disappointing."
A foot injury to the unlucky Jasper Pittard was the Power's only injury concern on Monday morning, with the 22-year-old on crutches at the club's beach recovery session.
The severity of the injury isn't yet known, but the club hasn't ruled him out of Saturday afternoon's game.
Harry Thring is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Harry
