GARRY Hocking has challenged his players to be daring and take more risks following Port Adelaide's 17-point loss to Woodville-West Torrens on Saturday.

In a game of two halves at Alberton, the Magpies had a 21-point buffer at half time, holding the Eagles to just one goal at the main break.

REPORT: Magpies go down with just two second half goals

But the home side was soon stopped in its tracks by a determined defensive display produced by the Eagles.

Hocking admitted his players were not as attacking as they should have been.

"They [the Eagles] had a good zone in place and our blokes just weren't brave enough to get through it," Hocking said.

"We just have to try and play quicker and be a bit more bold with the ball and a bit braver at different times.

"We need to play four quarters, tough, with great effort - we did it against South and our pressure and intensity was right up there even in the last quarter.

"That will be number one thing to try and fix and making sure we have that pressure and intensity when we don't have the ball."

VOTE: EnergyAustralia Magpies Fans' MVP

Hocking hoped to see more players step up and take control to win the one-on-one contests next week.

"Our guys just need to take some ownership at crucial moments from a tactical point of view and from a battle point of view, we need to will ourselves to win that contest," Hocking said.

"At the moment, we have just been beaten at some of those contests around the ground that previously we've been able to win, so that's another area we have to get better at."

Port Adelaide hosts Sturt at Alberton Oval on Saturday 9 May at 2.10pm.