Port Adelaide has suffered too many honourable losses for Josh Carr’s liking this season, but the Power coach conceded there would be valuable lessons to come from his side’s gallant defeat at the hands of Fremantle.

The undermanned Power was the rank outsider in betting markets with few tipsters giving Carr’s men any chance of causing a shock upset against the ladder leading Dockers.

But with stars such as Zak Butters, Jason Horne-Francis and Mitch Georgiades sidelined, the home side led by 12 points at half-time at Adelaide Oval on Saturday before conceding six goals to one in a pivotal third quarter.

“I’d like any team that comes here, or whoever we play, (to know) that they need to play at 100 per cent to win a game of football,” Carr said.

“And obviously, the first half and the way we approach the game, with some great leaders in amongst that group to stand up, especially in that first half, to give ourselves a reasonable chance.

“In the third quarter, we’re under siege and just their ability in the contest to drive through and buffer the pressure, their corridor balance … I think there are a number of lessons that our players can take away from that game.

“I think the main lesson was probably more around the contest, the ability just to be calm when the pressure is coming at the individual, and there’s some lessons for us on the other side of it when they’re bringing the pressure, being able to handle that.”

Port has suffered close defeats to highly-touted opponents this season in Hawthorn, Adelaide, the Western Bulldogs, and Sydney, with brave efforts that surprised many outside the club.

But Carr doesn’t believe being labelled underdogs going into a clash is a motivating factor for his players.

“I’d like to think it’s not a reaction to people talking about us externally, and all of a sudden we’ve got to get ourselves up,” he said.

“I just think it’s probably more the opportunity that presents itself when you play against really good teams.

“Do we like being the underdog? I’d rather be on the other side of it. I’d rather be Freo and Adelaide and these teams that are up the top and going well.

“Hopefully we get there one day.”

The result saw the Power slip to a 6-12 record with five games to come, but Carr is adamant there is still plenty to play for with finals out of the picture.

“We don’t want to limp to the line come the end of the season,” he said.

“We want to accelerate into the off-season and keep looking for little wins along the way. There’s not a game that we won’t go into that we’re not trying to win.

“There’s not a game that we’re going to go into that we’re not trying to get better as a football club.

“And so that’s really simple … (the goal) is to keep evolving our game.”

GALLANT POWER PUSH LADDER-LEADING DOCKERS

Ladder leader Fremantle tightened its grip on top spot after overcoming a brave challenge from injury-ravaged Port Adelaide on Saturday, Jye Amiss booting four goals as the Dockers shook off an indifferent first half to cruise to a 28-point win.

With a host of stars unavailable, the Power led by 12 points at half-time at Adelaide Oval on the back of superior work rate and intense pressure.

But with a shock upset looming, the Dockers booted the first five goals of the third quarter to charge to a 19-point lead at three-quarter time that took the wind out of Port’s sails.

The Power’s midfield, led by Joe Richards and Ollie Wines, was on top in the first half, but Caleb Serong and Andrew Brayshaw were pivotal as the Dockers sprang into action after half-time to improve to a 16-2 record.

Amiss was the most damaging forward on the ground, with Josh Treacy and Michael Frederick finishing with three majors apiece.

On the injury front, Jaeger O’Meara was unable to see out the match after picking up an ankle injury in the third quarter.

BAD TO WORSE

With stars Zak Butters (ankle), Jack Lukosius (calf), Mitch Georgiades (concussion), and Jason Horne-Francis (suspension), all departing the side defeated by St Kilda last week, Port’s injury situation went from bad to worse, with an injury replacement himself replaced on game day.

Kane Farrell was withdrawn from the selected side on Friday with groin soreness and replaced by young key defender Harrison Ramm.

But Ramm fell ill overnight, with Jacob Wehr brought into the line-up on Saturday.

The disruption didn’t adversely affect the team, however, with Josh Carr’s switched-on side banging through the first two goals of the match.

LATE CALLS

Port had a surprise 14-point lead with a minute left in the first quarter, but a couple of contentious umpiring calls played a part in quickfire back-to-back goals to Fremantle.

As Isaiah Dudley went to take his kick after marking just outside 50, one umpire could clearly be heard calling ‘Play on, play on’, while another called Lachie Jones to ‘Stand’ on the mark.

Dudley found Patrick Voss on a hard lead, with the big forward converting with 36 seconds left in the term.

Some poor defensive errors let the Dockers in again after the restart, with the ball ultimately spilling to Hayden Young in the goal square as the clock ticked down.

Young put his hands to his head in frustration after the siren sounded as he kicked a goal, but the major counted.

“No one heard the siren – all clear,” the controlling umpire can be heard saying on the Fox Footy broadcast.

BERRY GOES BANG

Joe Berry snapped a brilliant goal in traffic early in the second quarter, and provided another spectacular highlight with just over a minute left before half-time.

The 20-year-old gathered the ball on the wing and let fly with a majestic torpedo punt on the run that sailed deep inside 50 where it was marked by Jack Whitlock.

The young forward quickly handballed to Corey Durdin, who ran into an open goal, with teammates getting around Berry in appreciation for his stunning score assist.

Port held a well-deserved 12-point lead at the main break after Mitch Zadow kicked his second goal after the home side won yet another centre clearance.

Despite the absence of clearance beasts Butters and Horne-Francis, the Power monstered the Dockers at centre clearances in the first half, leading the key statistic 12-2, with stand-in skipper Willem Drew leading the way with four.

SCOREBOARD

POWER 5.3 8.6 9.7 11.9 (75)

DOCKERS 5.1 6.6 12.8 15.13 (103)

PHELAN’S BEST

POWER: Richards, Wines, Aliir, Burgoyne, Drew, Evans, Zadow.

DOCKERS: Serong, Brayshaw, Jackson, Ryan, Young, Amiss, Frederick.

GOALS

POWER: Zadow 3, Visentini 2, Durdin 2, Whitlock, Richards, Berry, Burgoyne. DOCKERS: Amiss 4, Treacy 3, Frederick 3, Young, Voss, Jackson, Erasmus, Dudley.

INJURIES

POWER: Marshall (head knock), Ramm (illness – late withdrawal).

DOCKERS: O’Meara (ankle).

UMPIRES: DeBoy, Jones, Bryce, Bailes

28,727 at ADELAIDE OVAL

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

JASON PHELAN’S VOTES

3 Serong (Fre)

2 Richards (Port)

1 Brayshaw (Fre)