It's good to be top: Port Adelaide players and staff enjoying life on the Gold Coast. Picture: Instagram

ADELAIDE defender Jake Kelly is bracing for multiple selection changes this week in response to the Crows' consecutive insipid performances in the past fortnight.

Wayne Milera's foot injury paved the way for the sole team change after the record-breaking Showdown defeat to Port Adelaide but a second straight underwhelming display is likely to be more ruthless.

Dual All-Australian backman Daniel Talia already savaged this bottom-placed Adelaide side on Monday as the most "non-competitive" he had been a part of.

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"It does hurt (to hear Talia's comments). I obviously have a massive amount of respect for Dan, for what he's done for me individually, so to hear him say that is not good enough," Kelly told SEN SA radio.

"I really enjoyed his press conference yesterday, because of how honest and open he was – it was Dan to a tee. He'll tell it how it is and he said the same thing to the whole playing group on Sunday night.

"That's obviously not good and it's not good to hear it from someone like that and we've got to be better as individuals and as a group."

Talia's brutal assessment continued the Crows' tough talk, with rookie coach Matthew Nicks admitting after Sunday's 53-point loss to Gold Coast they were "in a world of hurt".

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 That followed Nicks saying his players' effort against the Power a week earlier was "embarrassing" and "bruise-free".

Kelly was one player who couldn't be accused of that, after putting his body on the line again against the Suns – conceding he felt "like I've been hit by a bus" – a week after being concussed.

Second-gamer Ned McHenry and ruckman Reilly O'Brien were others singled out as shining lights.

 

They've [Port players] taken control of the pool area and got their rigs out each day, so they're sunning themselves and getting a nice tan

- Jake Kelly

He revealed the players, particularly the senior ones such as Talia, drove the post-game review and demanded they did more to lift themselves out of this winless rut.

Kelly, at age 25 and 78 games into his career, is trying to take a greater leadership role, in particular with fresh additions Fischer McAsey, Josh Worrell and Ayce Taylor.

"It's confronting (hearing the post-game feedback) but when we're in the situation we are as a club; we have to have those conversations," he said.

"Professionalism was a big talking point. We are professional athletes and it's not that we weren't acting like it before but we can always do more to take individual responsibility for your career.

"That will ultimately help the team."

 

Chad Cornes and Port players enjoying the pool in the Gold Coast hub. Picture: Instagram

Meanwhile, Kelly said Adelaide's players were behind the decision to remain in the Gold Coast hub rather than fly in and out, after the South Australian Government lifted its border restrictions.

On a lighter note, the SA clubs' contrasting fortunes – Port Adelaide sits unbeaten atop the ladder – has even stretched to hub life, where the Power has commandeered the resort pool.

"They've taken control of the pool area and got their rigs out each day, so they're sunning themselves and getting a nice tan," Kelly said with a laugh.

"Darcy Byrne-Jones had his skinny little rig out the other day, which was quite horrid to look at, but they're taking control of the pool area, so they probably have a right at the moment."