Arnell: We lacked self-control and discipline.
Senior coach Lauren Arnell believes her youthful team’s lack of composure and discipline cost them their second win of the season.
Port Adelaide senior coach Lauren Arnell has expressed her ‘exceptional disappointment’ over her side’s loss six-point to West Coast in Perth on Friday.
A lack of composure and accuracy on goal cost the young Power side, who were favourites heading into the game.
“We are exceptionally disappointed in the performance that we put out there tonight,” Arnell said.
“I think credit to the Eagles, they outplayed us and took their opportunities and we didn’t, so (we are) disappointed in some of the lack of discipline that we had tonight and then also the lack of composure in our front half really hurt us.
“(We had) four goals nine and they were really efficient, six goals three. We knew they’d try to get out the back of us and they were able to put some pretty efficient score on the board once they got out the back so (I’m) exceptionally disappointed right now.”
With two forced changes ahead of the clash (Indy Tahau to injury and Ash Saint to suspension), Port Adelaide’s forward line had a notably different look, but gave opportunities to players who hadn’t yet taken the field this season.
“We obviously had some forced changes to our group this week and so our front half looked really different to what is has in the first four weeks of the season,” Arnell said.
“They were able to drop their numbers back and win uncontested possession certainly in our front half and control the ball in our front half. It meant that we weren’t efficient at all, and we’ve got a bit of work to do.
“I think as a forwards group, we need to be learning a fair bit from tonight’s game. We lacked a bit of composure and lacked probably the pressure that we’ve been able to bring and obviously Ash Saint’s been a really big part of that front half pressure in the first four weeks and we definitely missed her tonight.”