PORT Adelaide did enough to ensure Port Adelaide champion Travis Boak could celebrate his milestone game by singing the song on Sunday.  

After playing his 300th game behind closed doors at Marvel Stadium during the coronavirus pandemic in 2021 – and the following week when he broke the Kane Cornes’ games record – the 35-year-old from Victoria’s Surf Coast played in front of family and friends in the 30-point win at the MCG.

Before becoming just the 23rd player in VFL/AFL history to reach the milestone, Boak made the decision last year to go around again in 2024 and will be aiming to help Ken Hinkley’s side make another deep September run after playing at least two finals in three of the past four seasons. 

The Power are 2-0 to start 2024 ahead of a run of three consecutive games at the Adelaide Oval, starting with Melbourne next Saturday night. 

Richmond coach Adem Yze is still searching for his first win after a brave but undermanned backline, missing Josh Gibcus, Nathan Broad and Tylar Young, struggled to contain Port Adelaide’s tall trio of forwards. 

Todd Marshall kicked four goals from nine marks, Jeremy Finlayson finished with two, while Charlie Dixon kicked 2.3. Darcy Byrne-Jones also slotted three of his own. 

Brownlow Medal contenders Zak Butters (34 disposals, 13 score involvements and seven clearances) and Connor Rozee (28 disposals and four tackles) weren’t at their absolute best, but were busy for most of the game, while Kane Farrell (26 disposals and 604 metres gained) provided plenty of drive out of the back half. 

Richmond made the fastest of fast starts with Tom Lynch kicking the opening goal in less than 60 seconds, but from there, Port Adelaide had all the chances early. It just didn’t take them. The Power kicked 3.7 from seven marks inside 50, missing a handful of set shots they should have converted.

Enter Shai Bolton. 

The West Australian dominated the second quarter, putting the foot down through the centre of the MCG, finding fellow South Fremantle export Marlion Pickett streaming towards goal, finishing with ten touches and two goals in the term to put the Tigers 17 points up at one point, 11 ahead at the main break.

After a subpar first-half performance, Port Adelaide re-emerged as the premiership threat they are supposed to be this year. They kicked the first four goals of the second half – all inside the first nine minutes – to properly assert their dominance, kicking seven goals to two in a game-turning quarter.

But just when the game looked almost over, Liam Baker kicked two goals inside the final 90 seconds of the third quarter, including the second after the siren, reducing the margin to just seven points to give the Tigers a pulse again. 

It didn’t last. 

For the second straight quarter, the Power kicked the first four goals of the quarter in less than ten minutes, Darcy Byrne-Jones, Todd Marshall and Jeremy Finlayson each kicking their third during the burst. 

After kicking just five goals in the first half, a seven-goal third quarter and six-goal fourth term made it a day to celebrate for one of Port Adelaide’s favourite sons.

RICHMOND           3.2    7.8    11.11    13.14 (92)
PORT ADELAIDE    3.7    5.9    12.12    18.14 (122)

GOALS
Richmond: Baker 3, Mansell 2, Bolton 2, Taranto, Ross, D.Rioli, Pickett, Lynch, Balta
Port Adelaide: Marshall 4, Finlayson 3, Byrne-Jones 3, Dixon 2, Mead, Houston, Evans, Drew, Butters, Bergman

SUBSTITUTES
Richmond:  Judson Clarke, replaced Sam Banks in the fourth quarter
Port Adelaide: Dylan Williams replaced Lachie Jones in the third quarter

Crowd: 30,254 at the MCG