IT started so well. Port Adelaide was leading Brisbane at the Gabba by four points at half-time - and proving it had the appetite for bruising, contested football against a true measuring stick in the AFL. The nagging ghosts of that appalling preliminary final loss to the Western Bulldogs six months earlier were silenced.

The footy gods can be twisted at times.

Five weeks later, Port Adelaide was 0-5, staring at its worst-ever start to an AFL season ... and it had not appeared so bad at Alberton since the dark chapters of 2010-2012. All-Australians, key forward Charlie Dixon and key defender Aliir Aliir were in the rehabilitation room recuperating from ankle surgery - the second for the year for Dixon. And they were not short of company while club doctor Mark Fisher and his team learned about "bulk billing".

But injuries are part of the game, right ... even if some bite harder than others?

Port Adelaide could have easily crumbled under the weight of disappointment, despair and desperation. Instead, when all looked at its darkest with a 50-point deficit to Carlton at the MCG in round 5, Port Adelaide responded ... and it showed resilience. And it has built hope of what might be in the second half of the season, particularly if it can find consistency at selection and in performance.

Port Adelaide's response to the 0-5 start should promote confidence that the football program - and the people in command in the football division - are sound. They have kept alive a season that began with disaster. They have put Port Adelaide back in the frame to compete for a finals berth.

Certainly, Port Adelaide is not - for varying reasons - delivering to the expectation held within at Alberton and was generated outside with 16 of captain Tom Jonas' 17 colleagues as AFL skippers saying on the eve of the premiership season that Port Adelaide would be a top-eight finalist this year.

The challenge remains. Jonas now has to keep his team in the fight - and it will be a demanding 11-game run to September.

STORY SO FAR

FIVE losses. Followed by four wins. And then a loss before a win entering the mid-season break. Quite a mixed bag.

From 0-5 to 5-6 ... and still in the race for finals while sitting in 11th spot at the end of Round 11.

Wins again West Coast (84 points - and for the first time at Adelaide Oval), St Kilda (one point in the sauna of north Queensland), preliminary final conqueror, the Western Bulldogs (17 points), North Melbourne (69 points in Hobart) and Essendon (16 points in the game of two differing halves and another test of Port Adelaide's resilience).

Losses to Brisbane (11 points), Hawthorn (64 points), Adelaide (by four points after the siren), AFL premier Melbourne (32 points), Carlton (by three points in another game of two contrasting halves) and Geelong (by 35 points at the so-called graveyard of Kardinia Park).

Port Adelaide has scored 115.128 for an average of 74 points a game. It has conceded 110.120 at an average of 71 points.

The premiership table rarely tells lies ... Port Adelaide is, as Ken Hinkley would say, where it deserves to be for its 0-5 start and inability to find its best form.  But it also is at 5-6 and still in the conversation as a possible top-eight finalist because it has refused to fracture.

So, the spirit is strong.

“We have learnt to stick at it, stick together and not give up hope. We’ve had to handle a fair bit in the first half (of the season) by our own doing. (The players) had to stick to task and they’ve had to keep an environment that was really connected ... They had an opportunity to probably somewhat lose a bit of hope but they didn’t. They stuck at it."

Ken Hinkley

THEMES SO FAR

EVERY season has concepts that repeat and repeat and often leave a football team with a reputation. Port Adelaide has dealt with three major themes during the first half of the home-and-away season:

BAD STARTS: Just by the numbers for the first 11 games:

First quarters won (four, against Adelaide, the Western Bulldogs, North Melbourne and Essendon), drawn (one, against West Coast); lost (six, against Brisbane, Hawthorn, Melbourne, Carlton, St Kilda and Geelong).

First halves won (seven, against Brisbane, Adelaide, West Coast, Western Bulldogs, North Melbourne, Geelong and Essendon) and lost (four, against Hawthorn, Melbourne, Carlton and St Kilda).

Best start: v North Melbourne (6.5 in the opening term).

Worst start: v St Kilda (0.2 in the opening term).

Biggest lead at quarter-time: 32 points v North Melbourne.

Biggest deficit at quarter-time: 25 points v Carlton.

CONTESTED FOOTBALL: It is known as the barometer that accurately measures Port Adelaide. Although it should not be any surprise in this AFL with the main premise for any game plan today being - contest and defence.

Port Adelaide ranks 13th on contested-possession averages this season (with Brisbane leading the league).

Port Adelaide is eighth on clearances, averaging 37.6 a match this season (with Brisbane again the league pacesetter at 40.5).

MIDFIELD EVOLUTION: From the start of the year, Port Adelaide spoke of giving more responsibility and opportunity to its young midfielders to move on from the superb tandem created by former captain Travis Boak and Robbie Gray.

The moment had arrived for more of Zak Butters, Connor Rozee, Willem Drew, Xavier Duursma, Kane Farrell (on his return from a serious knee injury), Miles Bergman, Dan Houston ...

The best-laid plans often can be derailed in the AFL game. Injuries to opportunist small forwards Gray (knee) and Orazio Fantasia delayed Rozee's entry to the midfield starting rotations - a move finally made to spark that second-half comeback from a 50-point deficit against Carlton at the MCG in round 5. Rozee's speed and fluid movement has become a major gain in this midfield evolution.

But injuries and illness have hurt Duursma and Bergman.

Houston's immaculate disposal has him locked to a creative rebound role at half-back.

Butters admits he needs to hit the scoreboard more often.

Every AFL club will always have midfield drafting and selective recruiting on the whiteboard at list-management meetings - such is the importance of building a diverse, flexible, deep and versatile midfield unit.

Port Adelaide contends it still has plenty to develop at Alberton.

"We have guys in the SANFL who need to be better as well - Jackson Mead, Miles Bergman, Xavier Duursma. We need those guys to be playing better footy in order to have some selection pressure. Our reality right now is that is not the case and we need to reflect on how we can get those guys playing better footy so that they put pressure on those currently in the AFL side. Our team in the longer term is going to be better with those names - Mead, Bergman, Duursma - playing AFL. Right now, the reality is they don't deserve to be playing AFL."

General Manager – Football, Chris Davies

GOOD

Round 8, Port Adelaide 12.14 (86) d Western Bulldogs 10.9 (69) at Adelaide Oval

WITH so many demons to exorcise, Port Adelaide delivered. There was the question of being scarred from the Western Bulldogs obliterating Port Adelaide's premiership aspirations in last year's home preliminary final at Adelaide Oval. And there was the pressing need to deliver a win against a highly rated opponent.

Special mention for Round 7, Port Adelaide 5.13 (43) d St Kilda 4.18 (42) at Cazalys, Cairns

IN tough conditions in tropical north Queensland - and against an opponent with strong form - Port Adelaide proved it would live up to its promise of never, ever giving up. And Robbie Gray once again proved he can be a matchwinner with the last shot on goal - even if it is a game-winning behind rather than a goal.

“I was just so pleased for our boys they showed enough fight to keep going after the first quarter when St Kilda got a bit of an advantage. We played some pretty strong, ugly footy I would call it. That’s what you have to play at this time of year (in Cairns)."

Ken Hinkley

BAD

Round 5, Port Adelaide 13.13 (91) lost to Carlton 14.10 (94) at the MCG

BAD because Port Adelaide dug itself into a huge hole with a 50-point deficit before making a telling comeback - with a six-goal third term, 9.8 in the second half - to fall short by three points of a win that could become most costly at the end of the season, particularly if the two clubs are fighting for eighth spot.

“You saw from the second half that we had, we really went out there and stuck it to them and played a lot better than them. You saw in the second half the side that we can be.”

Novice ruckman Sam Hayes

AND THE UGLY

Round 2, Port Adelaide 7.14 (56) lost to Hawthorn 19.6 (120) at Adelaide Oval

LESS said of this match, the better. It was designated as the tribute match to club legend Russell Ebert. Much more was expected ...

"We certainly have things to work on. It should burn with our players. And it will drive us to be better."

Captain Tom Jonas

SCOREBOARD

PORT ADELAIDE'S scoring average - 74 points a match - is the lowest (excluding the COVID-shortened, 20-minute quarters of 2020) posted in the club's AFL story since 1997.

The asbence of All-Australian key forward and 2021 club leading goalkicker Charlie Dixon (ankle surgery, twice), opportunists Orazio Fantasia (knee surgery) and Robbie Gray (knee injuries) can answer in part why the attack has not kept the scoreboard tumblers regularly turning over in the Port Adelaide way of playing a forward-half game.

But the club's goalkicking list does reveal the need to find more goals from midfielders. This list currently reads:

20: Todd Marshall (11 games)

13: Jeremy Finlayson (9)

11: Sam Powell-Pepper (11)

10: Mitch Georgiades (10), Steven Motlop (11) and Robbie Gray (8)

5: Kane Farrell (5) and Dan Houston (11)

Expect the second half of the home-and-away series to have a repeat question: Can Port Adelaide play all four tall forwards - Charlie Dixon, Jeremy Finlayson, Todd Marshall and Mitch Georgiades? The answer might be in what roles Marshall (who now has space to work through) and Georgiades (who might be more than a forward) find in the second half of the season.

"There is no doubt that we think the development of Marshall and Georgiades in the roles they can play is significant for us - and that they can play in the same team together with Charlie and Jeremy if we have to."

Ken Hinkley

The more-relevant question is: How can Port Adelaide create more goals, regardless of the forward structure and the personnel. The midfielders certainly will need to be part of the answer.

NEW

Port Adelaide introduced to teal for the first time six players: Former Greater Western Sydney forward-ruckman Jeremy Finlayson, former North Melbourne vice-captain Trent Dumont, former Brisbane defender Sam Skinner, father-son draftee Jackson Mead, first-round draftee Josh Sinn and new lead ruckman Sam Hayes.

JEREMY FINLAYSON

DROPPED - and challenged to strengthen his appetite for the contest - after just two games was not the dream start for the Greater Western Sydney recruit, who moved to Adelaide with significant personal challenges while his partner received treatment for cancer.

But Finlayson's response since being reinstated in the AFL line-up in round 5 against Carlton has started to answer the critics who felt the 26-year-old was too inconsistent during his 66 matches with Greater Western Sydney.

Finlayson has hit the scoreboard each week since round 5, delivering 13 goals in seven matches including his 5.2 against West Coast in round 6. His ability to support Sam Hayes in ruck adds a much-needed extra dimension to his game - and contribution to the team.

SAM HAYES

IT has been a long wait for the 2017 draftee (pick No. 47). And opportunity came unexpectedly - even if Season 2022 always was to be about introducing Sam Hayes to AFL football after dominant performances in the SANFL.

Hayes immediately became Port Adelaide's lead ruckman with the loss (by a shoulder injury) of Scott Lycett after the round 4 clash with AFL premier Melbourne at Adelaide Oval.

Hayes has revealed in AFL company he has a strong leap at centre bounces, deft hands to offer taps to advantage of his fellow midfielders and a strong appetite for taking on big challenges. The enthusiasm shown towards Hayes from the moment he arrived at Alberton certainly is being justified by his AFL start.

TRENT DUMONT

NORTH MELBOURNE last week conceded it had erred in delisting Trent Dumont - after 113 senior games - at the end of last season. This has become Port Adelaide's gain.

Dumont made his Port Adelaide AFL debut at Adelaide Oval against league premier Melbourne in round 4 and has worked in teal for seven games. He has proven - again - that a player does not need to be spectacularly brilliant to make the right impression at a new club. Play your role, do it consistently; always strive to contribute and take your moment. This is Trent Dumont.

NOT every AFL debut opens the door to a memorable debut season - as Josh Sinn can testify.

Sinn, the No. 12 pick in last year's AFL national draft, made his AFL debut against Hawthorn in round 2 at Adelaide Oval after exciting Port Adelaide fans with his pre-season form. His progress at Alberton has been interrupted by the dreaded groin issue of osteitis pubis.

"We still expect Josh to play some footy at the back end of the year," Port Adelaide football chief Chris Davies said this week. "We are taking a cautious approach to his training.

"Sometimes we forget that those teenagers who were drafted in the past year did not have much footy or the opportunity to train much (during the COVID lockdowns in 2020 and 2021). It is as much about managing his training load and getting him to a point where he can train consistently before we see him play."

High hopes for young defender Jake Pasini (pick No.8, 2019 rookie draft) to feature in AFL company this season were knocked down by his season-ending knee injury which opened a selection at the mid-season rookie draft on Wednesday.

BURNING BRIGHT

SAM POWELL-PEPPER

IT was a tough 2021 for Sam Powell-Pepper who started that season needing a break from football - and finished the year with some major demands from the club to report for pre-season training in prime condition and with a stronger understanding of expectation for 2022 with his 100-game milestone on the horizon.

Despite interest from West Coast in his home State of Western Australia during the trade period, Powell-Pepper was sure he wanted to be at Port Adelaide (where he was contracted) - and was already motivated to meet his own ambitions more so than the challenge publicly set by Port Adelaide football chief Chris Davies.

Being happy in life - as a father of a daughter born this year - and confident in his football has allowed Powell-Pepper to thrive in the demanding role of a floating half-forward. He also has surprisingly emerged as a back-up ruckman to support Sam Hayes in the absence of the experienced Scott Lycett.

"I am the happiest I've ever been. I've started my own little family with my partner Brya and little Frankie. Life is unreal. I have a lot of great support around me, so I am very happy."

Sam Powell-Pepper

TODD MARSHALL

SENIOR coach Ken Hinkley maintained faith in key forward Todd Marshall after he recorded just four disposals (and only one goal) in the opening two games against Brisbane and Hawthorn.

Marshall's response - in particular his career-best figures of five goals in a match against both West Coast and Adelaide in the Showdown - has justified Hinkleys long-standing belief in the 23-year-old, 66-game forward. He is Port Adelaide's most-productive and most-accurate forward from the first half of the season.

The return of key forward Charlie Dixon allows Marshall to be free of working against the opposition's best defender. His freedom to move across greater ground away from the goalsquare also will be significant in Port Adelaide's second half of the home-and-away season.

"I've found some internal belief, but I want to do it consistently."

Todd Marshall

BURTON AND HOUSTON

SOUNDS like a good name for a business - Burton & Houston. And the two defenders certainly have done the business in the Port Adelaide defence while coach Chad Cornes has had to deal with repeat absences of tall defenders, All-Australian Aliir Aliir, Tom Clurey, Trent McKenzie, Sam Skinner (with ankle and knee injuries) and even captain Tom Jonas (by the COVID protocols).

Ryan Burton's intercept marking (in particular the nine in the demanding conditions against St Kilda in the tropics) and Dan Houston's near-perfect delivery from half-back have been shining lights in a defence that often has been under pressure when Port Adelaide's noted forward-half game has failed to manifest.

Tom Clurey's return from knee surgery has been exemplary, particularly in dealing with big-name key forwards.

"It is just great to be at Port Adelaide. I grew up barracking for the club. I didn't expect to play my 100th for Port Adelaide; I thought I would be in Melbourne. I am so grateful that I am here - at the club I grew up with and in a (player) group that we have at the moment. I love being here; I love all the players."

Ryan Burton

WHAT'S NEXT

Round 13 v Richmond at the MCG

Round 14 v Sydney at Adelaide Oval

Round 15 v Gold Coast at Adelaide Oval

Round 16 v Fremantle at Perth Stadium

Round 17 v Greater Western Sydney at Adelaide Oval

Round 18 v Melbourne at Alice Springs

Round 19 v Geelong at Adelaide Oval

Round 20 v Collingwood at the MCG

Round 21 v Richmond at Adelaide Oval

Round 22 v Essendon at the Docklands

Round 23 v Adelaide at Adelaide Oval

Breakdown - Six of the 11 remaining games at home; seven of the 11 against teams well placed or still considered in the race for September's top-eight finals; five "double-up" games against Adelaide (lost in first meeting), Melbourne (lost), Richmond (still to play), Geelong (lost) and Essendon (won).

PREDICTION

Ted Hopkins (the founder of Champion Data and the Carlton premiership hero from the epic 1970 VFL grand final) has an algorithm that is predicting Port Adelaide will finish the season all-square - 11 wins, 11 losses ... and rank 12th.

It would not take much in this wild season - with COVID protocols still capable of creating havoc at selection and post-selection - for Hopkins' computer to turn into a pinabll machine on tilt once winter bites hard to mix COVID with the 'flu season.

Port Adelaide is capable of garnering seven wins from the next 11 games - the big tests coming in four matches, starting on the return from the mid-season break with Richmond at the MCG on Thursday night and then again in Round 21 home at Adelaide Oval; Fremantle on the road at Perth Stadium; and Geelong at Adelaide Oval.

At 12-10, Port Adelaide is in the conversation for eighth spot and its third consecutive finals series after top-four finishes in 2020 and last year.

So far, this Port Adelaide team has shown resilience. It has stayed in the fight, after a horror start. The finish will reveal significant answers on where Port Adelaide really is in its well-known ambitions for "chasing greatness".