Port Adelaide assistant Hamish Hartlett reviewed Friday’s shattering one-point Showdown loss, saying the key review points were around contest and defence. 

The coaching and playing group have continued to review games in great detail after both wins and losses, with an obvious commitment to continuous improvement. 

Speaking with the Adelaide media on Monday, Hartlett discussed the team review, where the season is at so far, and which players could be removed from the injury list this week. 

Hartlett on the team review 
“It mainly focused around our contest and our defence, which is been the case for a little while. Really just trying to embed core parts of our game first and foremost. And foremost. And there was a little bit of a reflection on the last couple of minutes of the game and how that all played out, and what we might be able to do slightly differently next time as well. 

Hartlett on the last minute of the game 
“I think we've shown that when games are tight and we're behind, that we know how to do things the right way to gain the ascendancy and get a lead, so we feel that part of our game’s in a pretty good space. But yeah, certainly in the last 45 seconds or so, we feel like we probably could have kept the ball in a little bit tighter and just scrapped it out for a little bit longer, as opposed to getting the ball out into some free space. 

“The scenario stuff really is the last part of the game plan that you focus on, so with so many new coaches and new ideas and new parts of our game that we need to implement soundly, first and foremost, that's been the focus for the first six or seven weeks of the season. And sometimes the best things about the scenario-based stuff is when it does happen in the flesh, and you can then reflect on it afterwards. So there's certainly some valuable lessons that we've learned from the weekend. And it's not stuff that we haven't touched on previously, it was part of our education probably two or three months ago in the pre-season. But like I said, offence, contest and defence, and making sure that those parts of our game plan are done well have been front of mind.” 

Hartlett on picking the players up after a close loss 
“I think that's one thing we have done really well so far this year is, regardless of win or loss, we've reviewed the game the same way. We've been really conscious around the footy club to spend a day or so reflecting on what has been and then focus really positively on what's ahead. So we do feel like a large part of our game is in a good space, and the players are still very confident about the way we're going and the way they're going individually. So it shouldn't be too difficult to move on, probably from this afternoon and crack into the Bulldogs this coming weekend.” 

Hartlett on the Showdown being a standalone game 
“I think, not only just for the people in South Australia that want eyes on our game, but I think what we've heard in the media over the past few weeks is that the Showdown is a game that everyone around the nation wants to watch. And when there's games clashing with that, some eyes are taken away from it. So I think it deserves its own fixture, as do all the derbies and Q Clashes and all those rivalry games that everyone loves to watch.” 

Hartlett on where the season is at so far 
“I think from the outside, the noise was that we weren't going to be overly competitive this year, which is fine, and people have got those opinions. I think internally, led by Josh and the other assistant coaches, there is a huge belief in our game plan, the way it's stacking up, and I think that's filtering through to the players as individuals too. We always approach things with a lot of optimism and positivity. We've got some young guys that are playing exceptionally well at the moment, and we've got some senior guys that are standing up too, and our game plan as a whole is clearly working against some of the best teams. So we've got no reason to think otherwise, that we can keep challenging some of the best teams. 

“It’s certainly a process-based approach, what we're doing. Carry was adamant right from the start that he wanted to make sure we were a very good defensive team, that our contest was at an appropriate level, and then we can focus on offence off the back of that. What we've seen so far, apart from round one, where we conceded a fair bit of score, is that we are becoming a tough team to score against, so defensively, we're stacking up. And we can keep tinkering with other parts of our game plan to make sure that results come on the back end of that. But we feel like we're a hard team to play against, and that's the most important thing for us at the moment, and the results will take care of itself.” 

Hartlett on the team’s contest 
“It’s going okay. There’s still a little bit of work to do there. I think we're trending in the right direction. I think the last couple of years, in terms of an overall contested possession number, hard ball gets, loose ball gets, we've struggled. We're making some inroads, but we're still a little way away from where we need to be as a football club at the moment.” 

Hartlett on the Western Bulldogs 
“On the weekend, they played against another very good team in the competition in Fremantle, and took it right up to him. So not a team to be underestimated by any stretch of the imagination. Their top end talent is incredible. Guys around the midfield group are going really well, and so we will approach them as if they're playing their absolute best footy, and they showed glimpses of that on the weekend.” 

Hartlett on Zak Butters’ being acting captain 
“He's been exceptional, Zak. It clearly hasn't affected his performance at all. He's still copping a lot of attention from week to week and performing at an incredibly high level. He enjoys responsibility. He enjoys being able to set the tone and set standards around the place. So he's been fantastic in that role so far.  

“He’s a competitive guy and all he says is ‘get me out on the field and let me do my thing, just get me to Friday night, just get me on the field and let me play.’ And it's regardless of whether he's wearing our guernsey or Darley Devils guernsey, like he’ll play the same way. He could be playing in a slowdown, whatever. He'd go in and try and smash people and play that competitive brand of footy that we love to watch.” 

Hartlett on injured players coming back 
“So we've got four guys that are going to be available to come through the SANFL this week. So Esava Ratugolea, Harry Ramm, Tom Cochrane and Tom Anastasopoulos, which is great. It adds to some depth that we've probably lacked a little bit in the front half of the year with the injuries that we've had. So that's really exciting for us. And I think Mani Liddy is potentially available next week too. So five guys that we feel can add value to us, which is exciting.”