SOMETIMES the only way to atone for a thrashing on the road is a gutsy win in front of the home crowd, and Port Adelaide enjoyed that tonic in a classic battle with GWS at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday evening.

Eventually running out comfortable winners, the Power and Giants fought - sometimes literally - across four heated quarters.

The Match Review will surely have its work cut out when it replays a battle that had nine 50-metre penalties and countless spot fires around the ground all night.

It wasn't one-way traffic for the Power, but they held on against the momentum generated by the Giants in the third term to run away with a five-minute burst in the final term. 

Brendon Ah Chee was best for the home side with three goals on his return to the elite level of football, additional to his 24 disposals and four clearances. 

Robbie and Sam Gray also continued to fly the flag for the Power.

MATCH REVIEW

FIRST QUARTER

Port Adelaide dominated proceedings early with goals to Chad Wingard and Brendon Ah Chee. The Power led every key stat – having 30 touches by the time the Giants had reached four early in the game – and looked set for an enjoyable day out.

Ex-Fremantle forward Rhys Palmer had two opportunities to bridge the gap on the Power, but was unable to do so, with one particularly comical moment seeing him mis-bounce the ball to allow Power paceman Matt White to hunt him down – beating four Giants in the process.

So things were well and truly going Port's way, especially when Brad Ebert and Jake Neade kicked back-to-back majors to put the home side out to a 23-point lead midway through the first quarter. 

Heath Shaw, resuming his rivalry with Angus Monfries, floated forward from defence to mark and goal the Giants' first, with Palmer finally getting on the board for his first. 

Then in an unspectacular end to the quarter saw the Giants kick one more goal, and the Power convert again through Monfries.

The No. 1 talking point was the huge number of 50-metre penalties handed out - six - on the back of rampant ill-discipline and a series of spotfires around the ground. 

At one point, more meterage penalties had been paid than goals kicked.

 

At quarter time: Power by 11

SECOND QUARTER 

Port Adelaide's opportunity to  punish the Giants on the scoreboard was surrendered early as the Giants converted through Cameron (his second) and then managed one through Westhoff. 

Despite controlling possessions and dominating the movement forward of centre, the Power found ways to cough the ball up.

And it was the Giants dealing out the punishment.  

Lobb, Patton and Palmer converted majors to put GWS into the lead for the first time on Saturday. 

Fortunately the Power was able to stem the flow and get two closing goals off the good work of Brendon Ah Chee - kicking a beauty under pressure and then setting up Angus Monfries with a long handpass. 


The niggle in the game continued after the half time siren, both teams eventually going their separate ways. 

At half time: Power by 10

 

THIRD QUARTER 

Despite leading by 10 points, the Power was neck-and-neck for goals at half time and needed to start well.

Justin Westhoff booted his second of the match with a strong mark in front of goals to put the Power up by 16 points early in the quarter and the Power looked able to move the ball freely.

Any thought of the Power's advantage was quickly stifled by quick goals to Williams and Cameron off the back of their own good ball movement, but equally Port's poor defending. 

When Cam McCarthy won the ball from a turnover and gambled with a long kick towards the goals - a gamble that paid off - the Giants were back in the lead and looking the more polished side.

Then Ah Chee banged home his third of the night having had more than 20 touches in the first three quarters, and yet the Giants still found a way to keep their noses in front, with Palmer kicking his fourth of the night before quarter time. 

At half time: Giants by 2

FOURTH QUARTER 

Port Adelaide needed a spark, having faltered in the third with poor defensive work and disposal. 

The spark was John Butcher. 

After being a late inclusion to the side to replace Jay Schulz (back), Butcher had showed plenty of workrate, but hadn't made the most of his opportunities. 

But then he silenced the naysayers with a clutch first goal after quarter time to give his team the lead back. And the crowd roared their approval. 

Bizzarly, having returned just two goals for the entire third quarter, the Power booted four in quick succession in the fourth.

It was a diving mark to Angus Monfries that extended the margin to nine points. 

But then it was the little master Chad Wingard with two freakish goals blow the margin out to 24 points.

Then it was left to Hamish Hartlett to seal the deal for Port Adelaide with five minutes on the clock, extending the margin to 28 points. 

SCOREBOARD

PORT ADELAIDE                5.5          9.10          11.13            16.15 (111)
GWS GIANTS                     3.6          8.6            12.9              13.12 (90)

PORTADELAIDEFC.COM.AU’S BEST
Ah Chee, R. Gray,Hartlett, S. Gray, Impey

GOALS
Ah Chee, Monfries, Wingard 3, Westhoff 2, Ebert, Neade, R. Gray, Butcher, Hartlett

INJURIES
Schulz (back) replaced in selected side by Butcher

SUBSTITUTION
Nathan Krakouer replaced Matt White at three-quarter time

CROWD
33,281 at the Adelaide Oval