Sydney Swans co-captain Luke Parker says the side can take plenty of positives following their defeat in last night’s thriller with Port Adelaide.

Sydney rallied with three crucial goals via the boot of forward Lance Franklin in the final quarter, hitting the lead on the scoreboard with just minutes to go.

However the home side held their nerve, with a critical goal to injury sub Sam Mayes in the dying stages seeing the Power secure a 10-point victory.

Parker said it was the basics in the final moments of the game that proved costly.

“It hurts,” Parker said after the clash.

“We did a lot right, to come over here against a Top 4 side who were right in it last year and really test ourselves.

“We did a lot right, hit the front late in the final quarter but it was the basics late. They were pretty desperate; their pressure was good getting a few fingertips when they needed to and it was just our basics to shut down the game and put the foot down and take it away from them was the takeaway from it.”

Despite the disappointing loss, Parker said there were still plenty of positives to take away from the defeat.

“But there were some incredible efforts to get back in it,” he said.

“Our pressure that first half was incredible, our press forward, the forward half turn overs we felt that they were really under the pump for a pretty composed team and we thought we were right in the hunt, and we showed that in the last quarter.

“For us, its continuing to build on that. If we can continue to play that way continuously, we will win a lot of games. But it’s just about that finishing touch in the last couple of minutes and finishing off a good performance.”

“We have shown all year we have stood up against the top teams,” Parker added.

“I hope we made our fans proud. It was one of those ones, that was really frustrating to lose. It was a cracking game of football and you want to be a part of those, sometimes they don’t go your way, but we will learn from it and take a lot of confidence from it.”