Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley says taking on second-placed Sydney at Adelaide Oval next Saturday night could be just the challenge his men need to get their season going again.

Port were on top of the AFL ladder after round 14 with an 11-2 win-loss record.

However four defeats in their past five games, including Sunday’s 11.10 (76) to 10.10 (70) loss against Collingwood at the MCG, have pushed Hinkley’s side to fifth on 48 points. Port are a game below fourth-placed Fremantle.

Hinkley says Port’s kick-handball ratio of 187 to 191 shows an over-use of the handball. Collingwood in comparison had 233 kicks and 138 handballs.

“It’s just too many,” Hinkley said.

“It’s a transfer of pressure. It’s someone not being prepared to handle the pressure.

“We look like we’ve lost a little bit of composure in that part of the ground.”

Not only are Port messing around while in possession, they’re getting beaten to the ball in the engine room.

“We’ve lost in tight. We’ve actually fumbled in tight,” Hinkley said.

“That’s just a reflection of us not being strong enough and hard enough at AFL level for a whole season.

“We’ve got some big-bodied midfielders who play in there and they haven’t been able to handle the heat in there for four to six weeks.

“We over-used the handball … and every time we play poorly the same questions come out that we over-handball.”

Down on confidence, Port have a 2-4 record since losing to Sydney by four points at the SCG in round 13.

“You do need something to get you over that little bit of a hill we’re facing right now. Maybe it is an opportunity to play against Sydney,” Hinkley said.

Key forward John Butcher’s hospitalisation with viral meningitis is another blow for Port.

Butcher, who has played three senior games in 2014, was hospitalised on Thursday night.

“John’s in hospital … unwell with viral meningitis,” Hinkley said.

“We’ve got a number of people around the football club who’ve been, unfortunately just in the last 48-72 hours, a bit ill.”

Jarrad Redden, who is recovering from recent knee surgery, has also been sent to hospital with illness.

“We’ll test him for all the same things,” Hinkley said.