To borrow a line from Fremantle coach Ross Lyon, the Roos were more than happy to "bank the four points and move on", but they understood a potentially rugged road lay ahead.

"Usually at times like this in a season, we are really fighting to try to get back on level pegging. So, to start the season like this – we know our back end of the year is really tough – so it's good to get some wins on the board, build a little momentum and just start doing the things we need to do," Gibson told Fairfax Media after a grinding win over the Western Bulldogs.

As they head into Saturday's twilight clash against Port Adelaide at Etihad Stadium, the Roos have lost that momentum, while the "things we need to do" have leapt in number.

Five losses from their past six matches, including four straight, have meant the Roos have gone from first to eighth within a month. What appeared a certain top-four, even top-two finish, now looks shaky.

Coach Brad Scott has wondered publicly just what his best line-up now is. If the finals began this weekend, the Roos would face another potentially treacherous trip to Perth to face the Eagles, a rival they lost to by 32 points last weekend.

Since round 10, the Roos are 16th on the "form" ladder, while the Power, who must win this clash to have any hope of featuring in September, are seventh on this same ladder.

During this period, the Roos have slipped to 14th in average disposals and contested possessions, while a 13th placing for disposal efficiency is not good enough if a side is to be considered elite.

For a team which has had Ben Brown, Drew Petrie and Mason Wood patrolling inside 50, with Jarrad​ Waite managing three matches in this turbulent period, that the Roos are eighth for marks inside-50 is also a concern. Petrie, perhaps in his final season, has struggled at times, while Waite, after a brilliant start, was goalless in his last three matches. His return has been welcomed, so, too, that of line-breaker Daniel Wells after a two-game absence.

Even more of an issue is that they rank last for percentage of scores once inside 50 (-10), with Scott lamenting last weekend "we're also not scoring enough from supply". After that round-six win over the Dogs, the Roos were generating a goal from 31.9 per cent of inside-50s – ranked number one.

Problems have also emerged on the ball. The Roos pride themselves on their toughness in the contest, and Jack Ziebell, Andrew Swallow and Ben Cunnington​ are as hard as anyone when it comes to winning the ball, or delivering physical contact. But they have been 15th for clearances since round 10, and 16th for points from clearances. The Power, seventh in clearances and having cranked up their scoring from this area (third), will look to dominate this battle.

Injuries have not helped the Roos in the past six weeks. Waite, Daniel Wells, Luke McDonald and Nick Dal Santo have missed matches, tagger Ben Jacobs has been sorely missed, playmaker Shaun Higgins has been out since round eight, while Wood now faces a challenge to return before the finals after injuring his knee against the Eagles. All-Australian ruckman Todd Goldstein has also not been the consistent force he was before he hurting his knee against Sydney in round 10.

"It's more than the players we've had injured. We've got a few things to work on structurally," Brown insisted.

Discipline has also been an issue, as Scott noted against the Eagles last weekend when explaining "the difference between being hard and combative versus undisciplined".

"You don't want to concede four goals to free-kicks and 50-metre penalties, we play an aggressive, combative sport but it's a very fine line you walk," he said.

The Roos were praised for their tough-guy performance in a losing effort to the Hawks in round 13 but, amid the furore over Scott's comments about an alleged bias of umpiring against Lindsay Thomas, they conceded goals from undisciplined acts that night.

Key defender Robbie Tarrant has emerged as an All-Australian contender this year, and can shut down a rival's premier forward, but their defence continues to be a talking point. Geelong, Adelaide and West Coast have booted more than 100 points against the Roos in the past month. That, though, is more a complex issue, for questions have been raised about midfield pressure. Remember, team defence is the mantra of all clubs.

Scott said this week the Roos wanted to defend better, in what was a "minor tweak".

He also moved to address the confidence of his men, declaring their best football was ahead of them. Having unsuccessfully negotiated five premiership contenders, pundits now believe the Roos have a chance to breathe again, facing the Power, Collingwood and St Kilda in the next three weeks.

The time is nigh to rediscover that best form, otherwise this season could be lost – and several tough calls on veterans await.