Show some respect: Burgoyne’s Port message after North thumping

Port Adelaide's efforts against the Kangaroos were well below par, and according to Power flanker Jase Burgoyne, it wasn't for a lack of talent, but more so a lack of respect.

Entering their Round 1 contest, Port Adelaide were widely considered the favourites. North Melbourne entered the new season off the back of six straight bottom three finishes, while the Power commenced life under Josh Carr with a 73-point Community Series win over West Coast just one week prior.

However, watching the contest suggested the opposite, as the Roos bolted out to a lead before half-time and controlled the game with ease, claiming a 46-point win against the odds.

Speaking in relation to their Round 1 loss, Burgoyne explained that the players simply lacked the effort required to compete at an AFL level.

“We were just too inconsistent throughout the day,” Burgoyne told SEN SA Breakfast.

“We let them get off the chain in terms of contest, and their short kick-mark game. We were just too inconsistent, really.

“We lacked a bit of effort, but the good thing is we’ve been challenged, and it’s now about how we respond this week.”

Port Adelaide’s poor effort was reflected statistically, finishing -83 in total disposals, -11 in clearances, -20 in contested possessions and -45 in marks.

Shockingly, despite having significantly less of the football, the Power still laid six less tackles than the Kangaroos.

“You don’t really have to be talented to tackle,” Burgoyne continued.

“It’s about effort. It’s something that we’re going to look at. Going into this week, that’s going to be a bit of a focus.”

Despite the stars at Carr's disposal, Burgoyne believes that the side simply lacked respect for North Melbourne.

“We did put a pretty good performance in against West Coast, and we had a bit of confidence going into the game,” he said.

“This age in the AFL, any team on the day can win, it doesn’t matter who you are or where you sit on the ladder.

“Just pay a bit more respect to the teams that you probably don’t think you’re likely to lose to. We just need to do a bit better at respecting any team.

“Going into the game, we showed them a little bit of respect, but we probably didn’t think they were going to come out and play how they did.

“Like I said, on any day, any team can get it done. They have good players on the ground, and they obviously just haven’t put it together over the last couple of years. They really showed how good they can be.

“We did show them a bit of respect, but not as much as they deserve.”

While impressed with Burgoyne's honesty, SEN's Dwayne Russell believes that the club's run of decisions leading into their loss have been far from the required level, slamming their "embarrassing" performance.

“That’s horrible to hear,” Dwayne said on SEN’s Dwayne’s World.

“That’s the last thing a Port Adelaide fan would want to hear from one of their rising star players, who played pretty poorly himself.

“Port got away with it on the weekend. They need to have a long, hard look at themselves, Josh Carr and Port Adelaide.

“One bit of slack that you can cut Port Adelaide is that they’ve tried to rebuild while they’re at the top, which is harder. When you’re in the eight, you don’t get as early a draft pick.

“But they spent two first round picks on Jack Lukosius, who couldn’t even get a game in their 23 on the weekend! He played in the SANFL.

“Have they wasted those picks? Is that two picks that they’ve spent unwisely? We have a whack at West Coast for spending two first round picks on Tim Kelly, well, Port Adelaide should be under the same microscope.

“(They conceded) seven clearances in 10 minutes for six scores – they’ve only seen it 10 times in a decade. Port Adelaide have clearance superstars!

“Zak Butters, Connor Rozee and Jason Horne-Francis, that Josh Carr could have put in the middle. They have Willem Drew, who is a good tagger. To get smashed at clearance like that, with those kind of players… that’s embarrassing.

“Not just their list management has been poor, but their selectors have to have a long, hard look at themselves, to pick Dante Visentini, a young player for a full game, against a State of Origin, All-Australian calibre ruckman in Tristan Xerri, and expect to win that game? That’s a failure at the selection table.

“I think they got away a little unscathed. They got lost in the wash of all the biggest stories. Maybe it’s because Port Adelaide doesn’t have quite the relevance.

“They need to get their head out of the sand.”

Port Adelaide have an opportunity to respond in Round 2, hosting the struggling Bombers this Sunday afternoon.

Listen to Jase Burgoyne's full interview, and Dwayne's full breakdown below: