Let's cut straight to the chase - an 0-5 start to the season is simply not good enough for any AFL side, let alone one that has hosted two preliminary finals in the past two seasons.
Ken Hinkley's Port Adelaide were seen as genuine premiership contenders entering 2022, with some suggesting a top-four finish would only suffice as a pass mark.
So, for the club to be sitting winless after five rounds is, plainly, unacceptable.
The 0-5 start has seen many pundits question Hinkley's position at the club - a position he's held since 2013.
All this despite the 55-year-old being contracted until the end of the 2023 season.
But while there is plenty of outside noise, Hinkley remains adamant his side can play finals in 2022.
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And while it would surprise me if Port Adelaide were to feature in September, let alone become genuine premiership contenders, I don't think things are as bad as their winless start - or the outside noise - suggests.
In Round 1, the Power faced Brisbane at the Gabba - a fellow top-four team from last year and the side many suggest are the biggest challengers to Melbourne right now.
Port were more than competitive in the game, actually leading at three-quarter time before a final quarter fade-out.
Despite registering fewer scoring shots, Port Adelaide won the inside 50 count 55-52.
In short, while they didn't get the result, they lost no admirers.
In Round 2, the Power did lose admirers, putting in an abject performance as they went down to Hawthorn by 64 points at home.
Yes, the Hawks are reborn under new coach Sam Mitchell, and they have since defeated Port's fellow 2021 beaten preliminary finalists Geelong in an Easter Monday classic, but this was a game Port were expected to win and they barely gave a yelp.
The Power needed to respond in Round 3 when facing cross-town rivals Adelaide in a Friday night Showdown.
Like Hawthorn, Adelaide were ordinary in 2021 and many expected them to be a bottom four side in 2022.
However, somewhat of a surprise packet, the Crows currently sit with a 2-3 record - having lost two games by less than a goal.
While the Showdown was another game the Power were expected to win, and they did give up a lead late in the final term, they were in front when the final siren sounded, before some Jordan Dawson heroics consigned them to a heartbreaking defeat.
Next up was Melbourne, the reigning premiers and by far the best team in the competition as it stands.
Playing at home, Port Adelaide dominated the first quarter against the Dees but were unable to score.
Down 0.3 to 1.3 at quarter time, Port led the inside 50 count 16-9 but couldn't convert their dominance of field position into goals.
The second quarter was even too before Melbourne did what they do best in the closing minutes and scored quickly, essentially putting the contest to bed as they led by 37 points at half time.
Port Adelaide's second-half performance in that game was unacceptable, bordering on non-competitive, before a few goals in junk time shrunk the margin to a respectable 32 points.
While the final margin flattered Port, a five-goal loss to Melbourne is about par for the course for most sides in 2022.
In Round 5 it was Carlton, the Blues rampaging with a 3-1 record and coming off an unsuspecting loss to the Gold Coast.
If the second-half effort against Melbourne was bad, the first-half effort against the Blues was diabolical - Carlton ran rings around Port Adelaide, leading at half time 12.6 (78) to 4.5 (29).
However, Port Adelaide rallied strongly after half time and got themselves back in the game, before eventually falling just three points short.
Granted, one good half isn't what you expect from a side who were seen as premiership contenders just six weeks ago, but it's also no shame going down by less than a kick to a team sitting 4-1 after five rounds.
As I said at the top, the results are far from ideal and an 0-5 start is simply unacceptable.
But, if you look at each game in isolation, the only poor performance over four-quarters has been the Round 2 loss to Hawthorn.
And, when you factor in the key personnel Port Adelaide have had to be without at stages through this season, then maybe - just maybe - things aren't as bad as they appear.
They won't win the flag, Port, and I'll be surprised if they make finals.
But I expect them to finish the season strongly enough to provide themselves - and coach Ken Hinkley - a decent platform to launch from entering the 2023 season.
And it can start when they host West Coast at Adelaide Oval on Saturday afternoon.
