Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes was bitterly disappointed by the Power’s 73-51 loss to GWS at ENGIE Stadium on Sunday.
The defeat means was another game where Port Adelaide failed against a fellow finals contender as their reputation as flat-track bullies continues to grow.
Cornes described Sunday’s defeat as the worst performance he’s seen from Ken Hinkley’s side this year as the Giants continually broke tackles with key turnovers costing goals.
The SEN host also called out the Power for not putting full effort in, appearing lethargic after a bye and and not looking fit enough to go with the competition’s best.
“I am seeing that it doesn’t mean enough to them,” Cornes said on SEN Breakfast.
“That was as disappointed as I’ve been all year. There have been some poor losses, the Collingwood loss was really ordinary, and the Carlton last quarter was ordinary.
“That was a shocking game of football and a performance that was as bad as I’ve seen this year.
“There would be some alarm bells with what he (Hinkley) is saying, fresh off a bye and you look lethargic. I don’t quite understand that.
“I saw 15 broken tackles, I saw balls on the boundary line that would have gone over for a throw-in that the Giants kept in and then went down and scored.
“I see (Esava) Ratugolea turn the footy over in the goal square. I see (Brandon) Zerk-Thatcher take a mark and play on late in a game that costs you, I saw the Giants sprinting away from Port Adelaide players. They don’t look fit enough to me.”
Cornes believes that Port Adelaide’s apparent lack of fitness could be causing them to fade out in fourth quarters. In their last two games, the Power has been outscored 3.7 (25) to 10.6 (66) in fourth quarters.
He also doubled down on his take that several Power players aren’t buying in enough as the team struggles as soon as a couple of key players aren’t at their best.
“I’d love to take a deep dive into their last quarters and the numbers regarding their fitness levels,” Cornes said.
“The captain needs to be better. I know it was his first game back after a long spell, but he’s done a lot of training. Connor Rozee can’t be touching the ball 14 times, particularly with teams coming after Zak Butters.
“Is that enough to suggest it does not mean enough to a large group of the Port Adelaide players? It was disappointing.
“It does not mean enough to this group of players for whatever reason.”
Port Adelaide will hope to get back on the winners’ list when they face an in-form Brisbane side at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday.