PORT ADELAIDE must improve its team defence ahead of Friday’s clash with Essendon.

After going down to the Crows in Showdown XL, key backman Jack Hombsch said it was the Power’s defensive positioning and structure which let them down.  

“I think it was obvious to see our team defence broke down a lot, and that’s been the case in the last couple of weeks,” Hombsch said.

“It’s positional things, and structure, that we’re not getting right as players… teams are getting out too easily at the moment.”

According to the defender, Port’s game plan is not the problem – rather, the inability of the team to execute it on game day.

“It’s communication and awareness from us as players…we know what it is, we just need to transfer it to the ground.

“We’ve played a press for the last three of four years like everyone else and it’s worked for us…we just need to fix up what we’re doing.”

Decision-making and offensive composure will also be an area of focus in training this week after the Power produced a lowly disposal efficiency of 63 per cent in the Crows clash.

“There’s a right time to go long and there’s a right time to hit a lead - we’re not recognising that as players," Hombsch said.

“We need to recognise when they’re outnumbered, and look for different options.

“We know it, we’re just not performing it. We need to prepare the right way, fix the things up that didn’t work for us, and come out rearing to go.”


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