Port Adelaide coach Matthew Primus says a stirring comeback triumph over Adelaide hasn't repaired his AFL club's battered brand.

"All it says is what level we need to play at to be competitive," Primus says.

"It doesn't help our brand significantly, but if we play like that for the next 18 weeks of the season then we will get something out of it."

Port had been pilloried after three consecutive losses to start their season, but shocked the Crows in the latest instalment of the bitter rivalry between the South Australian clubs.

Trailing by 34 points midway through the second quarter at AAMI Stadium on Saturday night, Port was on the brink - no club has made the finals after four consecutive losses to open a season.

But the Power responded brilliantly, kicking 12 of the next 13 goals on their way to a comprehensive 32-point victory.

"We have got to learn from that," Primus said.

"We have got an ability to play like that next week and by round 18, if we're playing in a similar way, we'll be a pretty good footy club if we learn.

"... We have got to learn, our players have got to learn - as a coaching group we'll keep ramming it down their throats ... that is the attitude and intensity we need to play at.

"If we do, we play a good brand of football and we're difficult to beat."

Primus was adamant the victory over Port's arch rival would count for little if not matched next week against Gold Coast.

"We can't be a team that gets up for Adelaide or whatever other teams we have rivalry against," he said.

"We have got to do it week in, week out.

"And it's a great test for us next Saturday - Gold Coast, on a Saturday afternoon here - it's a team everybody expects us to beat and we have got to come out with that mentality."

Primus said the reason for the turnaround in fortunes against an Adelaide outfit now with two losses from three starts was simple.

"There is a lot that goes on in AFL footy and a lot gets talked about with zones and pressure and press up," he said.

"But we just won the ball."

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