Coach Ross Lyon is concerned by Fremantle’s slow starts, which again proved costly in a 20-point loss to Port Adelaide in an AFL pre-season cup match on Saturday.

The Dockers also lost recruit Lachie Neale to an ankle injury during the defeat at Encounter Bay, some 75km south of Adelaide.

Port posted their second win from four pre-season games, prevailing 1.11.11 (86) to 2.5.18 (66) before more than 5,200 spectators.

The Power jumped the Dockers early to take a 26-point lead into quarter-time, an advantage never relinquished, and Lyon said Fremantle’s sluggish starts were a worry.

“I don’t like it,” he said.

“We’re a slow starting team.

“We struggled last year and lost 17 first quarters.

“And the first 15 minutes against Richmond (last week) was really poor, and our first 15 minutes here, we laid two tackles to the 12 minute mark.

“We have got to have a good look at our warm-up, how we start training and try and get some intensity at the start because good teams you just can’t peg back.”

Neale limped from the field in the third quarter with what Lyon described as a “significant” ankle injury.

Lyon said the 18-year-old would likely miss the start of the premiership season.

Port spearhead Jay Schulz kicked three goals in a fixture which pleased Power coach Matthew Primus.

“We got a lot of work into a lot of players,” Primus said.

“It was a real competitive hit-out and I was pleased with our intensity for a fair amount of the game.

“But we have got a lot of work to do.

“Our ability to move the ball still needs a bit of work, especially behind centre, and we turned the ball over a fair bit.

“But today was certainly a step in the right direction, as the last two weeks have been.”

Power captain Dom Cassisi (23 disposals) was a standout, while emerging stars Robbie Gray and Travis Boak each collected 19 influential disposals.

Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich was superb with a super goal and a regulation goal while utility Nathan Fyfe gathered a match-high 27 touches.

Winger Stephen Hill and Clancee Pearce (22 disposals) were also impressive.