Analysis: Good start, a long way to go for Port Adelaide Port Adelaide players at a loss after being thumped by Geelong. SO what has happened to Port Adelaide? Is the Power, currently amid a four-game losing streak, any different from the failures at Alberton in the past three years? Each question has definite answers. After an unprecedented 5-0 start, the Power has fallen significantly short against stronger competition. Its skinny depth has been exposed by a lack of tall defenders. And its midfielders have failed at critical times. Port's much-stated poor starts have one repetitive factor. The Power does not win critical centre clearances to stop its rivals' damaging runs of unanswered goals. But this is a different Port Adelaide, even if the downward trend on the AFL premiership table suggests decay is again setting in at Alberton. First, the Power players are fitter - much fitter. This has allowed them to compete for longer. Ignoring the first term - and the notion Geelong cruised after scoring the first eight goals of the game - Port had a competitive line on the scoreboard: 9.10 to 11.7 in the last three terms. It won the last quarter: 5.4 to 3.2. Second, new coach Ken Hinkley has corrected the Power's game plan. There is the understanding among the players they must always seek to move the ball forwards, not backwards or sideways as was the manner of the Port Adelaide Crabs of the past five years. But as individual players they are far from all Hinkley wants for that creative, bold team he repeatedly puts up as an image of his Port Adelaide. "No, we were shown (by Geelong) what real creative, bold and brave looks like," Hinkley said. The optimism that enveloped the Port Adelaide Football Club from a promising 5-0 start is fading, as evidenced by the turn out at AAMI Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The 21,309 is the Power's smallest home crowd this season when the average at four games before Saturday was 29,333. I'm sure the fans understand that we still have a long way to go. We had a good start," Hinkley said as he faces criticism of his work and selection. We're on the back end of some losses we have to turnaround - and we have to welcome that challenge.