Port Adelaide senior assistant coach Stuart Dew said the group is always looking at how they can get better, with the Darwin conditions highlighting areas for improvement. 

The travelling squad spent the week training in, and adjusting to, the slippery conditions, with the need to tighten up the fundamentals a key focus this week. 

Speaking with the Adelaide media on Monday, Dew spoke on the game review, looked at the season so far, and how Zak Butters can be best supported in the midfield. 

Dew on the game review 
“We just look where we can get better. I think it's a dangerous one, expected score, because you can't take it when it looks good and then ignore it when it's bad. So certainly within here, we're more concerned with just how the game looked and how close it was to what we wanted to play. Obviously, we were inconsistent, challenged early, and then challenged late, we were still able to fight it out, and unfortunately we missed a couple of shots there late that would have made it interesting and quite tight, so little bit frustrating in that regard. 

“I think in those conditions your foundational habits and skills get blown up in lights, and I think we at different times we over handballed or coughed up the football under some pressure, but a little bit of perceived pressure as well. They were a little bit cleaner in those moments, took meterage by foot more than us, and once we adjusted that, and at times when we were clean, we saw what we could do. We really feel like, as simple as it is in those conditions when you fumble and cough up the ball, often you can get caught offside, and that team will punish.” 

Dew on working on fundamentals  
“We just keep working at it. And again, to not to not go week to week on what we're after, we need to get better at that across as a whole, and into the future. So it's certainly not one thing that will shine a light in one week, as we say, like the foundation stuff that needs to be just done as part of routine, and we're doing that. Quite often it comes out last on the ground. So certainly knocking the door down working on it, but looking for it to come out more consistently.” 

Dew on the recovery from Darwin conditions  
“(It can take a little bit of a toll) in the short term, but then you bounce back pretty quick. They're very fit. It can get a bit overstated in terms of the toll that can take on you physically. Certainly it’s much around hydration and refuelling, and getting good sleep. In some ways the game can be a little bit slower due to the conditions, particularly late. So, in terms of miles in the legs, it's okay, and it’s just making sure that early in the week they’re refuelling, and rest up, and get ready to go again.” 

Dew on the midfield battle 
“We won clearances, and scores and meterage from stoppage, but it was really on the outnumber on the next possession. We felt that their midfield beat us on that outnumber in the next play, so yeah, certainly some things to work on. And Carlton, in that regard, that's one of their strengths, certainly from clearance to the next play, so we need to make sure we put a bit of work into that and nd bring that focus to this week to get it right. That was one area where we can't be happy with just a clearance number. We've got to get the next play right.” 

Dew on supporting Zak Butters in the midfield 
“Yeah, we can share the load. I guess the team's best midfield always does stand out. So, I don't think anyone's not helping Zak out. We certainly put a lot of work to help him out to play that way as well. So, I think part of that will be making sure we share the load as well, and Zak's going to compete no matter what. We know that, we’ve seen that physically. Some of his contests on the weekend were quite brutal and really setting the tone. So we do need to grow a midfield depth for sure, so when he's on rotation or other players are in there, we need to get some more players, some more flying hours in there, and we'll work out what that looks like for the second half of the year.” 

Dew on the win-loss ledger 
“Our percentage probably points to where we're competitive and in games, and although from a ladder position, we'd love to be a little bit higher and win a couple more of those close ones. I think certainly internally and from a coaching group point of view and team, we're pretty clear on where we're at and where we need to get better. I've been impressed with Carr’s (Josh Carr) ability to stay disciplined on that and the message he’s driving around the process, because we know that with the players that we've got, they're getting some great experiences, and we're seeing some good results. I thought Berry played one of his better games, Ewan Mackinlay, he’s probably a good example doing a power of work on his ball security and goal kicking, and then he has a moment like that in tough conditions. Some of those younger players should get some good belief out of that.” 

Dew on the season so far 
“I'd say (it’s been) inconsistent, in that when we get it looking how we want, getting players as close to what output we think they can do, we're a really strong side. Defensively, I feel like we've been quite tight. There’s moments where, you know, six minutes to go in the second quarter where teams get a run on. How can we stop that quicker? These are conversations all teams are having, but if we worry about ourselves, we're looking to what leaders can influence in those moments, and I think at different times we are trying to grow our on-field leadership as well, and empower the players to make decisions and dictate speed of ball. That was one we got a bit wrong on the weekend, at different times we went far too quick when we weren't set up forward of the ball, so just the modes of the game and really feeling the speed of the game and controlling that.” 

Dew on Carlton  
“I think it's an interesting position (losing a coach halfway through the season). There's always a spike because everyone probably feels a little bit less pressure on the whole club itself. But any team can win on their day. My kids do tips and I tell them to forget everything that's happened the weeks before and make a decision on what's in front of you, because if you read into ladder position or scoreboards from the week before, it's just too long away, so it's a new week, new week for us, and we want to make sure we accelerate into this game and bring some really intensity.” 

Dew on Miles Bergman’s injury 
“(We’ll know a bit more) when we have our medical meeting this afternoon, but as I'm aware, generally with these ones, there's a couple of weeks where he'll be in an unattractive moon boot, and once he gets out of that, we'll have a bit more clarity on how he looks.” 

Dew on selection this week 
“Obviously Josh Lai, we anticipate will come out of (concussion) protocols, and Jonesy has gone into them. So certainly those selection discussions will happen based on what team we think can beat Carlton on the weekend.”