Port Adelaide senior coach Josh Carr was happy with his team’s response on Sunday after a heavy loss to the Kangaroos in Round 1. 

Carr praised his side’s ability to narrow its focus against Essendon, while the group’s attention now turns to West Coast at Adelaide Oval this weekend. 

The coach spoke with the Adelaide media on Wednesday to discuss the game review, skipper Connor Rozee’s injury, and confirmed who will captain the team in Rozee’s absence. 

Carr on the players’ response on Sunday 
“Definitely happy with the response and the win. The important part, for us now, is the consistency of that and what it looks like. So to get a response is what you want, but also to maintain consistency. The way we reviewed the game was the same way we reviewed the game last week. Went over all areas of the ground and where we can get better and keep improving our footy from start to finish.” 

Carr on the game review 
“We've got focuses going into every game and what it looks like for the season. And we've narrowed our focus into a couple of areas in our game, I'm not going to say what they are, but really that's quite simple for us, just to keep chipping away at that, educating it and improving and working on our game.” 

Carr on West Coast 
“I think it's pretty exciting for them and their group, the win and the development of their list, and you can see some significant improvement in their individuals. So I think it's exciting for their football club. I think it's a great challenge for us. I thought the way that they played that game last weekend was impressive. So that's not going to be an easy game to play in. We're going to have to play really good football to get a result. 

“We measure our game on what our focuses were going to the game, and as I said, that's really clear. What the opposition presents to us or how they play is not really relevant to what we're trying to achieve. It's more about us and how we do that. We've got to have awareness of what the opposition is trying to play, what opportunities we have and what we're going to take away from them. So that's no different this week against West Coast.  

“There are opportunities that will present in the way that we play, and at the same time, the awareness of the way they're moving the ball, or the way they defend, we've got to be fully, aware of how they’re doing that.” 

Carr on Connor Rozee’s injury 
“It’s super disappointing. You want all your players available. You want your leaders available. You want your best players out there and obviously not having Connor hurts. But in saying that, it presents opportunity. It presents an opportunity for a player to come into the team. It presents an opportunity for every player that plays this weekend to just lift that little bit more. We're not looking to replace Connor like-for-like, because you can’t, but what we're looking for is everyone just to lift that little bit more.” 

Carr on who will captain on game days in Rozee’s absence  
“Zak’s (Butters) going to lead the way. As I said, it's not about replacing Connor, but it's about maintaining the standards that Connor’s set, and Zak’s showed that in the past, he’s led the team in the past as a vice captain into the captaincy on game day. It doesn't change the roles of during the week, but what it does do, it gives Zak an opportunity to go out there and lead the way that he does. 

“It was a really easy decision once we came together as a football group and as a footy club and spoke through what we need, and in the end, it was a really simple decision. Zak's been a great leader of a football club, his improvement in his leadership just this year has been amazing and we’ve been rapt with his willingness to receive feedback, to get better and work on his leadership, and now it presents an opportunity for him to keep developing that. 

“I've always got hope (about Zak’s future). The most important thing is we play good football and however that we do that, with really good leadership, Zak’s a part of that.” 

Carr on team selection 
“I wouldn’t say (the changes) are obvious, we've got a bit to work through when it comes to selection, about what the best team looks like for this weekend, and also what's best for the individuals as well. So in Ollie’s (Wines) case, is it best for him to come straight into our team, or play some football? We’ve got to work through that.” 

Carr on feedback he’s given Butters on leadership 
“I think it's the way that he can drag a few teammates along with him, like he drags his teammates through actions. But how can he have those conversations with teammates in game to get more out of those individuals. He's been working on that, and he's been showing significant improvement in that area.” 

Carr on Jason Horne-Francis vs Harley Reid this Sunday 
“I hope so (to see them go head to head). I think that's exciting for everyone out there. I mean, they enjoyed that contest last year. The players love that, they love the contest going at each other. How good’s that for footy? 

“(Horne-Francis) is pretty close (to playing majority midfield time). There's no excuses for Hornet, he’s now got a body of work. We feel like he's going in the right direction. It's still not going to be perfect. He's going to have his good quarters and bad quarters is trying to string the consistency together for him and for the team. But I don't have any doubts about him going into the midfield and playing a role there.” 

Carr on Josh Lai 
“Yeah, he's close (to getting an AFL debut). He's performing and improving week to week. He'll be in the discussion for us today. He adds something a little bit different to the team. We’ve still got a little bit to work through with selection.” 

Carr on all players stepping up their leadership in Rozee’s absence 
“We've had that discussion already as a team about everyone lifting that little bit more. As I said, we're not replacing Connor like-for-like, we're replacing him as a team.” 

Carr on Jack Whitlock 
“He's improving week to week. He showed that from playing his first game last year to where he's at now, and we saw improvement in his game on the weekend. I'd love for him get some reward for his work and his work ethic, and his finish, but he's working on his game and he’ll get there. I love the fact that he just marks the footy at the highest point. He flies in every contest, and he enjoys the contest as well.”