PORT ADELAIDE has suffered a disappointing pre-season loss to the SUNS on the Gold Coast in a practice game that never reached any real highs.

A six-goal to one first quarter saw the SUNS blow out to a match-high 42-point lead in the second quarter against a very inaccurate Port Adelaide outfit before a mini-second half fightback saw the margin halved by the final siren.

Port Adelaide took 30 players up to Queensland for the match and gave match time to all of them, including new faces Jeremy Finlayson, Josh Sinn and Sam Skinner.

The SUNS looked sharp from the off with Izak Rankine capitalising on the first centre clearance and slotting a set-shot goal within the first minute.

Port’s response was just as quick with Sam Powell-Pepper maintaining the sharp shooting skills he showed in last week’s intra club and bagging a goal a minute later on the run after a strong tackle in the middle by Zak Butters and some quick hands by his former housemate Travis Boak.

The home side applied intense pressure and rushed Port at every chance, and made the most of it on the scoreboard with the next six goals of the contest to half time, making good use of a strong first quarter breeze.

For all its effort, Port Adelaide was finding it hard to score. Even when it did get the ball forward, the resulting shots were from difficult angles.

When Port did create chances, it didn’t make the most of them and inaccuracy saw the visiting side go into the sheds with just 1.10 (16) on the scoreboard at half time.

Connor Rozee (minor rolled ankle) and Sam Powell-Pepper (hamstring) came out of the game at the main change and Sam Mayes and Jed McEntee were given an opportunity to press their claims for Round 1 selection.

And Mayes finally broke Port’s run of 13 straight behinds when he won a free kick on the goal line for a push in the back and snapped truly from a tight angle.

Karl Amon added another before the end of the third quarter but Port still trailed by 37 points at the final change with Mabior Chol and Josh Corbett each booting their second goals of the afternoon for the SUNS in that term.

With Scott Lycett sitting out the most of the third term and all of the final quarter after rolling his ankle shortly after half time, ruck duties were shared between young Sam Hayes in his first hit-out against AFL opposition and Finlayson, and Hayes showed signs that he was capable at the level.

Skinner came on for some game time in the back half and did not look out of place against AFL opposition as he looks to make the most of his second chance in the competition following an injury-riddled stint with Brisbane.

There were some positive moments as the game drew towards a close with three consecutive last quarter goals bringing Port back to within 21 points at the end of the game.

Robbie Gray finally got some reward after missing some early chances, snapping one goal after some quick hands from Butters and finishing a second from a set shot after Lachie Jones’ impressive burst off half back.

First-year midfielder-half back Sinn showed some glimpses of his talent, marking in front of goal and calmly slotting the resulting set shot and later running down an opponent on half back to cause a turnover, and Jed McEntee also doing some good work in the front half.

Port Adelaide will now face cross-town rival Adelaide in an official pre-season game at Richmond Oval next week in its final pre-season hit-out.

SCOREBOARD

PORT ADELAIDE            1.5      1.10        3.13     6.19   (55)             

GOLD COAST                6.2      8.5         10.8       11.10  (76)              

Goals

Gray 2, Powell-Pepper, Mayes, Amon, Sinn