Port Adelaide have reacted with shock and surprise at the flurry of criticism they attracted for a dreadful AFL performance against West Coast in round two, with defender Troy Chaplin pleading for calm among pundits and supporters.

The Power were, by their own admission, awful during Sunday's 50-point defeat at the hands of a team they would have fancied to beat, but Chaplin argued it was too early to be taking an axe to the club, which has been embattled by financial problems in 2009.

"It's round two - I don't think you can be too big-headed after one game of football and I'm not sure if you can make that judgement," Chaplin said of the criticism.

"It's not like we didn't turn up to play football. We wanted to get out there and win, but West Coast put too much pressure on us and we turned the footy over, so to say that is a little bit harsh.

"Even though it's only round two, (the media is talking) almost like we're in crisis talks already. We're 1-1 and 10th on the ladder.

"It's only early in the season' it's a bit hard to say, 'Your season is over and you're getting ahead of yourself'."

Port's mental preparation for the Eagles match appeared well off the mark, perhaps not surprising that they were still discussing disputed Dean Brogan's one match AFL tribunal ban on the Friday prior to the match.

However Chaplin argued not enough credit had been given to West Coast.

"We didn't go over there (to Subiaco) big-headed like people think we did. West Coast is a good side and it was their first game at home, so they wanted to win, like we did round one against Essendon," Chaplin said.

"We didn't go in hard enough and they beat us in that area. It's amazing what happens in this day and age in footy. If you can put pressure on the opposition, it's amazing how much they turn the ball over and if you can score off it like West Coast did you're on your way to a win."

Port will be seeking a reaction against Melbourne at home on Easter Sunday, something Chaplin said would depend on the side's ability to bring the right level of intensity.

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