HAWTHORN captain Sam Mitchell has praised new recruit Shaun Burgoyne after the former Power player’s first game at AAMI Stadium since transferring to the 2008 premiers.

“He’s got better and better for us,” Mitchell said after the game.

“He’s built his game and got fitter since he has come into the side ... and he’s hit his straps over the last three to four weeks."

Burgoyne was one of Hawthorn’s better players in the match, amassing 19 disposals and seven tackles.

“He’s given us a lot of depth in our midfield,” Mitchell said.

However, the centreman's return to his former home ground was anything but a fairytale with the Hawks going down to a rejuvenated Port Adelaide outfit by eight points.

The Hawks squandered opportunities in front of goal and were hurt in defence by the Power's tall forwards.

“We weren’t able to break the game open today and score with any fluency,” Mitchell said.

“Port were hungrier ... they smashed us in the stoppages and their forwards played some great footy."

Port Adelaide again successfully restricted Hawthorn’s powerful forward duo of Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead.

Franklin managed three goals but was far from his usual dominating self, while Roughead scored only the one major in the afternoon’s contest.

“I think it’s just good defence,” Mitchell said of the Power's tactics.

With only four rounds remaining in the home and away season, Mitchell said the side had to improve significantly and urgently before the finals.

“If we play the way we did today in September, we’re not going to get close,” he said.

“We can learn a lot from the loss and hopefully we can learn from it, so we can be competitive come September.”