Port Adelaide coach Matthew Primus admits his struggling side is in a hole, but is adamant their current woes will be the making of the club down the track.

A 62-point loss to the Swans at the SCG on Saturday night represented their seventh defeat in eight games, leaving only winless Brisbane below them on the ladder.

Port dominated much of the first half against the Swans, but collapsed in the second, during which Sydney kicked 13 goals to five.

No quick fix looms for Port, but Primus suggested it was a classic case of short-term pain for long-term gain.

"It's a tough competition, we're in a hole there's no doubt about it and we've got to dig ourselves out of it and there's no magic formula for that," Primus said.

"Just continually reviewing and getting better at what you're doing and turning up to play every weekend and if you think there's a magic formula, there's not.

"But what we're going through at the moment and whatever we go through in the next few months of the season will be the making of this group, in six months, 12 months, 18 months time.

"It might not feel like it now, but it will be."

He drew some solace from the efforts of a few of his younger players against Sydney, even though most struggled to maintain their form for the entire match.

Port forward Jay Schulz, who was playing just his second game back from a knee injury, injured his hamstring.

"He's been out for a while so not to be able get him through this week was a little disappointing," Primus said.

"That will be a loss for us, but someone will step up into his boots."

Schulz's misfortune could possibly give veteran Chad Cornes a chance of a recall for next Saturday's home match against Fremantle.

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