Port’s challenge was a sizeable one even before the first bounce, with Angus Monfries captaining the side as the only member of Port Adelaide’s eight-man leadership group following the withdrawal of skipper Travis Boak, primary ruckman Matt Lobbe and All-Australian forward Chad Wingard from the final team.
Things weren’t helped when the Crows won the toss and elected to kick with a strong southwesterly that made the going tough for Port Adelaide’s inexperienced forward line early.
But the Power’s midfield also struggled to supply the ball with consistency and the Crows took advantage of the four-goal wind on the rebound to punish the Power early, with two goals to ex-Carlton crumber Eddie Betts and singles to fellow recruit James Podsiadly, Jason Porplyzia and Brodie Smith.
The Power’s time for redemption was in the second quarter with the persistent wind advantage to the northern end of the ground.
Even so, the Crows hit the board quickly through Matt Wright and then Josh Jenkins to push their lead out until Aaron Young broke the Power’s goal drought with a strong effort 10 minutes into the second quarter.
His was followed shortly by a strong set shot effort from Paul Stewart.
The Crows proved comfortable and in control though, with the Power’s effectiveness poor at times, Adelaide found the likes of Wright, Douglas and Betts within forward 50 to bring up their tenth for the afternoon.
Trailing by 51 points at the long break, the Power needed to improve from the outset of the third quarter, and with Brendon Ah Chee and Byrne-Jones the new substitutes, the injection of Ollie Wines into the second half would provide a boost to the Power’s midfield.
He went on to win 15 touches for the term as Port's best for the quarter with glimpses of his bullocking style on show for the Richmond crowd.
But things weren’t improving for the Power on the scoreboard, despite improved efforts from a number of young players, after Eddie Betts chalked up his fourth goal for the afternoon.
Again up against a weaker and changing southerly, the Power battled up forward while the Crows were quick to win and move the ball from the middle.
With pressure mounting on the Power’s defence, Betts found the ball at ground level with ease and kicked his fifth for the afternoon.
Aaron Young and Paul Stewart again proved Port’s most effective up forward, when the pair combined 14 minutes into the third quarter to register Young’s second for the day to lower the deficit to a still sizeable 70 points.
Brent Renouf was taken off the ground midway through the term; replaced by Byrne-Jones, leaving primary ruck duties to second-year ruck/forward Mason Shaw.
Goals to Adelaide’s Jarrad Lyons and Rory Sloane ensure the term finished in favour of the Crows, although Tom Logan pulled off a strong stretching mark and follow up goal to put the cream on a solid performance from him.
While the wind’s advantage again lowering in intensity for the Power’s final quarter, Port was impatient to make amends on the scoresheets and it was new recruit Matt White who delivered the first blow for the quarter with a confident snap from 35 metres out.
He was followed in a four-goal flurry by contributions from Stewart, Darcy Byrne-Jones, Jasper Pittard and Ben Newton.
Although the result was elementary from the early stages, it wasn’t all doom-and-gloom for the Power though with a number of new and young faces showing promise.
Draft talents Jarman Impey, Karl Amon and Daniel Flynn found the ball for their first full blooded games, while ex-Brisbane forward Jared Polec managed win plenty of uncontested ball from space.
Port Adelaide now has a nine-day break before its second and final NAB Challenge game against Essendon at Etihad Stadium on Tuesday 25 Febraury.
SCOREBOARD
PORT ADELAIDE 0.0.2 0.2.4 0.4.4 0.9.5 (59)
ADELAIDE CROWS 0.5.2 0.10.7 0.16.8 0.18.11 (119)
GOALS
Young, Stewart 2, Logan, White, Byrne-Jones, Pittard, Newton
SUBSTITUTIONS
1st half: Young replaced by Wines in the second quarter, Karl Amon replaced by Byrne-Jones in the second quarter
2nd half: Renouf replaced by Byrne-Jones in the third quarter, Dom Cassisi replaced by Brendon Ah Chee in the fourth quarter
PORTADELAIDEFC.COM.AU's BEST PLAYERS
Moore, Logan, Young, Cassisi
CROWD
8,765
