Port Adelaide's self-evaluation has slipped from possible top-four contender to just one of the pack after its heavy loss to St Kilda at AAMI Stadium on Friday.
The Power were humbled at home by a harder and more skilful Saints line-up, eventually losing by 66 points.
It was a massive reality check for the team from Alberton which only a week earlier had grabbed the competition's attention with its win over the reigning premier Hawthorn.
Coach Mark Williams said the disappointing Round 5 effort put his team's improvement from 2008 into perspective.
"We are in the pack with another 10 teams fighting out the next four down to 12 (positions on the ladder) .... that's about where we are at," he said.
"What it says is we are not as good as we hoped we might be but we are probably in the mix."
Williams said St Kilda handed his side a 'lesson in tough footy'.
"They beat us at all aspects of that game, we came into the game feeling like we were prepared for it but by far they are the side that's put the most pressure on us," he said.
"They caused so many turnovers our players lost all confidence in that second quarter, working out what to do. I suppose the only thing we got out of the second half, we kind of hung in there."
Meanwhile Williams praised Power fans for their loyalty in wet and windy conditions.
"I was disappointed for, but I was really delighted with our supporters that hung around. Because at the end of the day it's a cold, wet night, it's live on TV so you could easily pull up stumps and go home but we really appreciated them standing by us," he said.
"We certainly didn't deserve that sort of attention in the second half of the game but we'll be a lot better and we'll continue to work at it and by the end of the year we'll be better than we are now."
Adding to the Power's woes were the two reports to come from the game. Troy Chaplin was reported for striking Nick Riewoldt and Dean Brogan for forceful front-on contact with Farren Ray.
Alipate Carlile also came from the field with a sore hip while Tom Logan suffered concussion.