Port Adelaide’s woes this season have only worsened after they were humbled by Melbourne to the tune of 32 points on Thursday night in front of crestfallen fans at Adelaide Oval.
The game was effectively over as a contest after quarter time as the Demons piled on the pressure and the Power wilted.
Port only managed to kick their first goal just before three-quarter time, highlighting just how dire and desperate a situation it was for the home side.
Amid a litany of problems facing coach Ken Hinkley that were on show throughout the evening, Kane Cornes said he was particularly worried about Port Adelaide’s ruck setup and the way Todd Marshall was being used.
“It’s such a risk to play one ruck,” he said on AFL Nation.
“I know a lot of teams do it but at least they do it with a competent second ruckman and Todd Marshall is an incompetent second ruckman, it’s not fair.
“That’s why they got (Jeremy) Finlayson but he’s been that disappointing they can’t play him. They have a young ruckman in Sam Hayes and then you trade Peter Ladhams (to Sydney).
“These list management decisions… they could cost you a game.”
The first quarter was a scrappy affair which produced just one goal, before the game opened up in the second term as Melbourne took complete control.
It led to stinging criticism from Port Adelaide 300-gamer Cornes, who labelled it as “the most disappointing first half of footy in the club’s history”.
As Mitch Georgiades was running into an open goal and appeared certain to finally kick his side’s first in the third term, he somehow managed to fluff his lines and the play eventually ended with a touch behind.
“That is the final insult,” Gerard Whateley said in commentary.
“This is a massive story developing on a Thursday night,” Cornes added shortly after.
It was that sort of evening for Port Adelaide, who will be left to answer plenty of questions in the aftermath of their fourth straight loss in 2022.
For the Dees, they are sitting pretty at the top of the table with a 4-0 record ahead of their Round 5 clash with the Giants at the MCG.
FULL SCORE
Port Adelaide: 0.3, 0.5, 1.8, 4.12 (36)
Melbourne: 1.3, 6.6, 9.7, 10.8 (68)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Motlop 2, Houston, Georgiades
Melbourne: Fritsch 3, Harmes 2, Jackson, Gawn, Langdon, McDonald, Viney
BEST
Port Adelaide: Bonner, Boak, Houston
Melbourne: Gawn, Fritsch, Jackson, Harmes, Jordon, Petracca, May
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Ollie Wines (nausea), replaced by Trent Dumont
Melbourne: nil