Richmond coach Adem Yze says the Tigers' response to a poor first quarter against Port Adelaide was positive, but a lack of reward for effort left the playing group "frustrated".
The Power kicked 1.6 in the opening term to Richmond's 0.1, before the Tigers built some momentum late in the second quarter with a high-flying mark from Maurice Rioli and two goals from Liam Fawcett.
The deficit was just 15-points at halftime, with Richmond enjoying a long stretch of field position ascendancy in the third period. However, goals proved hard to come by, with Port eventually wrestling back momentum and running out 13.12 (90) to 6.12 (48) winners.
"We weren't happy with the way we started. We probably got a little bit lucky in the first quarter with an interstate team coming on our home deck – I thought we fuelled some of their opportunities with the way we were moving the ball. We probably should have been further behind," Yze said.
"All I could ask for is the response, and the adjustments we made in the second and third quarters around clearance, contest, territory and what we were doing with the ball, we gave ourselves opportunities. The third quarter looked like a Richmond game. It was repeat entries, high pressure, and we just didn't get the reward for effort.
"The last quarter, understandably, the boys are going to roll the dice a little bit and probably gave up some goals we normally wouldn't. That middle part of the game, the effort and intent was right, we just lacked that polish and execution. We've got some frustrated boys in the rooms."
Yze also commented on an incident in the third quarter when Samson Ryan gave away a free kick off the ball, which resulted in a Power goal.
"(Ryan) wasn't the only one. We gave a couple of 50s, and some of the undisciplined acts – especially when we're going through what we're going through, we've got a few players out and some young players out there," Yze said.
"You can't defend behind undisciplined acts. I'll cop it if it's an execution error and we're just not as good as them, but when it's something like that where it just crushes your spirit?
"He just came in then and apologised for it, said it was probably a silly thing to do, and it was. For a young ruckman who hasn't played this season, and just half a game in the VFL (coming off a foot injury), he was really important for us.
"His response post that, the next centre clearance, we won clearly, and that's what I want him to really focus on. He needed to pay back the mistake, and all I can ask for is that next centre bounce, to jump in hard and pay it back 10-fold. He did that."
