Port Adelaide coach Matthew Primus expects the heat of the AFL spotlight after crashing to a 37-point loss to Richmond on Sunday.
Primus said Port deserved to get “bashed” in the media after Richmond romped to a 13.13 (91) to 8.6 (54) win at AAMI Stadium.
The Tigers, with Jack Riewoldt booting four goals, bolted to a 47 point lead a minute into the third quarter against a hapless Port.
A hollow Power comeback reduced the margin to 24 points at three-quarter time before Richmond put the finishing touches on their second triumph this season.
Primus said he expected scrutiny after Port’s fifth loss in six rounds.
“I’m the coach of the club, our performances haven’t been great, so no worries – I expect to be under the spotlight,” he said.
“I’m not naive to think our performances aren’t going to put me under the spotlight.”
But Primus, who has led Port to just four wins in 28 games since being appointed fulltime senior coach, retained “full confidence” in the path he was taking the club.
“We will get bashed this week and so be it, our performance dictates that,” he said.
“But we have got to remain strong in the path we’re heading down.”
Port’s lack of intensity was alarming from the first bounce in a match which began with two clubs with wobbly one-four win-loss records.
Richmond suffocated Port in the second quarter, restricting their hosts to just two entries into their attacking 50 metre arc while going inside 50m themselves some 19 times.
Richmond’s midfield, headed by Dustin Martin (24 disposals), Shaun Grigg (25 touches), Brett Deledio (24 possessions) and Shane Tuck (28 disposals), overwhelmed Port.
The Tiger onballers feasted on the ruck dominance of Ivan Maric, who was a standout with 45 hit outs, 20 possessions and five marks.
And Riewoldt, Robin Nahas (three goals) and Jake King (two goals) made the most of the inevitable attacking opportunities to leave coach Damien Hardwick satisfied.
“To come over to Port Adelaide’s home deck and win by 37 points, regardless of ladder positions … it’s certainly a good win,” he said.
Hardwick expected his captain Chris Newman to recover from a shin injury and play against Sydney at the MCG on Saturday night.
Port will lose goalsneak Cameron Hitchcock (hamstring) for their trip to meet Fremantle next Sunday while veteran onballer Kane Cornes suffered a bruised knee.