LEADER Daniel Cross says he was “filthy” with Melbourne’s 61-point loss to Port Adelaide in Alice Springs on Saturday.

Cross said he walked from the TIO Traeger Park Oval gutted with his side’s performance, after Melbourne led by four goals in the second term.

“I was filthy coming off the ground; I was filthy during the last half,” he told Dee TV.

“To capitulate like we did [was disappointing]. It all started to unfold just before half-time, when they kicked six goals in a row and the momentum swung their way.

“I thought we started off really well. Our first quarter and a half, our midfield was terrific and I thought we were right on top. To finish the way we did was really disappointing.”

Cross said Melbourne’s past two matches were akin to its opening couple of rounds against Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney, when Melbourne won against the Suns and fell away badly against the Giants.

“We’ve been through it before with Gold Coast into the GWS game. We started the [GWS] game well and then just fell right away,” he said.

“It was disappointing that there was such a good standard of footy that we can play and then such a [disappointing] brand of footy that we can play as well.

“It’s back to the drawing board, but we know we [can] play well and … what we do well. Why we don’t do that on a consistent basis is disappointing and frustrating.”

Cross said Port Adelaide set up its victory by changing some tactics during the second term, when it kicked six goals in 12 minutes.

“They started to do a couple of things differently with their setups,” he said.

“But it just comes back to winning the contest and out tackling a team. They outnumbered us at the contest and then they started to get a roll on.

“They’re a real energy team and when they’re up and going, they’re as good as anyone, so we could definitely feel it [happening]. Sometimes it’s harder to stop than what it seems, but when [Port Adelaide’s] energy is up, they start to get forward a bit more and that’s how they got their roll on.”