Port standards have slipped: Williams
Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams has admitted the Power's once-lofty standards have slipped under his watch following a second successive AFL season of disappointment.
The Power ended 2009 in cruel, yet fitting circumstances on Saturday night.
Leading for much of a dour contest against North Melbourne at AAMI Stadium, they lost the match by four points after Nathan Krakouer conceded a 50m penalty to put Scott McMahon within goalscoring range.
It was far from the ideal send-off for retiring stalwarts Brendon Lade and Peter Burgoyne, but Williams said the finish reflected his side's year.
He also set the scene for a extensive review of where the club had gone wrong since reaching the 2007 grand final.
"I think we set a pretty high standard for a long time within the club ... looking at it right now I don't think it's as high," Williams said.
"Having read the papers for most of the year, most people were accusing us of that, so I'm happy to look at it.
"When we were a dominating side our professionalism couldn't be questioned.
"We'll question every degree of that and that goes right across the board. It doesn't miss anyone including (football operations manager) Peter Rohde, me or (the players) down at the bottom of the list.
"We need to keep the standard, re-establish what the standard is and look to drive that standard."
The omission of David Rodan prior to the Kangaroos game has been attributed to his failure to follow certain team rules, and Williams said in the past such transgressions had at times been ignored.
But the Power's inconsistency appears to have convinced Williams of the need for more rigorously applied team rules as he enters the two years of the contract he signed this year.
"They (players like Rodan) probably could've been accused of (not adhering to team rules) in the past but when you win you probably overlook things," he said.
"The standards have to be really driven home.
"I need to be on top of that."
As he paid tribute to Lade and Burgoyne, Williams said there were players in the Power's list who could reach for the same heights if they could grasp the level of professionalism attained by the veteran duo.
"There are players on our list who, if they have the belief and work ethic of those two, they will reach those heights as well," he said.
"But right now, like in 1997 when they (Lade and Burgoyne) started, you've got no idea how far they can go.
"We want to keep building on those younger players. As the sun sets on two careers others are blossoming and looking forward to reaching the heights that they might."
Port have booked in Steven Salopek (shoulder) and Justin Westhoff (foot) for post-season surgery.
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