Coach Kevin Sheedy has accused some of his Greater Western Sydney players of shirking physical contests in their 56-point AFL loss to Port Adelaide.

Sheedy was measured but unable to hide his disappointment at the Giants’ defeat on Saturday night in Adelaide.

“We were disappointed in a lot of efforts of our players,” Sheedy said.

“We could have been a little bit more physical at times when the ball was there to be won.

“So that was disappointing because in the first quarter we had it, so you know that the talent is there and the physicality can be there too.”

The Giants kicked four of the initial five goals of the game, but then managed just seven goals to Port’s 18.

While Sheedy acknowledged there would be “ebbs and flows” in his young players, he said some on-ballers let their teammates down.

“The second half was really disappointing, to be totally outscored in the second half was very frustrating,” he said.

“Some of the boys in the midfield let us down. I felt they could have created a lot more pressure when the ball was taken away from them.”

The veteran coach said the loss was part of the Giants’ journey, but they remained unable to sustain their efforts for an entire game.

“We will get that eventually … we’re playing first-year players basically on them in the midfield, so we’ll go up and down the mountain.

“I would have liked to have had a closer result or a win obviously.

“And it disappoints me when we just drop away for a 30 or 40 minute block every game.”