PORT Adelaide’s tall timber was on display and dominated as it came away with a 17-point victory over Central District in the SANFL.

The Magpies boasted three ruck/forwards in Sam Hayes, Dante Visentini and mid-season draftee Brynn Teakle in addition to fellow talls Mitch Georgiades and Ollie Lord.

It was the dream debut for Teakle, who opened the goalkicking with an unbelievable snap out of a pack from 40 metres out, sending his teammates into raptures.

Lord was the beneficiary of some Jed McEntee brilliance in the middle, as he evaded some would be tacklers to lace out the tall forward who converted the set shot.

The Bulldogs would then respond with their own through Fraser Fort, but the Magpies were dominating early.

Tackling machine Nick Moore was on the receiving end of an illegal tackle at the northern end and converted the snap, before Dante Visentini wanted to join the other big boys with a goal of his own.

The Magpies led by 17 points and had complete control before Aiden Grace kicked his first for the Dogs, keeping them in the contest.

Port had a 10-point lead at the first change, with Sam Mayes finding plenty of the pill early.

Sam Mayes finished the game with 19 possessions and six clearances. Image: Brandon Hancock.

Teakle started the second term just as he had in the first, with a towering goal, but decided to give the home fans a bit of banter by shushing them in celebration.

The Dogs were quick to respond. The returning Trent McKenzie looked as if he had outmuscled Fort in the goal square for a mark, but the umpire had paid a holding free kick, which allowed him to score.

The two sides tussled in the midfield for 10 minutes, with some missed opportunities coming, one for the Magpies through Dyl Williams and one for the Dogs with Isaiah Dudley.

With key forwards finding plenty of opportunities, Georgiades wanted his own moment, and took a terrific mark on the lead following a nice driving punt from Lord.

Georgiades slotted the goal, but the Dogs wouldn’t go away, replying almost instantly.

However, Georgiades wasn’t done himself. He backed his neat drop punt up with an electric snap and celebrated emphatically.

Visentini was also eager to add to his goal tally and did so after a sensational grab and set shot.

Port had assembled a 21-point lead, but it quickly disappeared.

Young forward Mitch Georgiades had a game-high four goals, including a classy snap in the first half. Image: Brandon Hancock.

Billy Iles, Isaiah Dudley and then Kyle Presbury on the siren all goaled in succession and Port’s lead was down to four at the main break.

After an attacking first half, the game did a full 180 and turned into an uncontested possession-based contest which saw neither side eager to concede.

Jarrod Schiller missed an early opportunity for the Dogs, before Sam Mayes and Ollie Lord also registered behinds.

Marty Frederick also took a nice mark but sent his shot out on the full. Both sides saw the uncontested possession count rise, but not the goal tallies, as neither team registered a major for the quarter.

The goal rot continued early in the fourth, with Fraser Fort missing his set shot, while Georgiades thought he had dribbled a goal home before it was deemed touched by the field umpire.

The drought ended 10 minutes into the final term as Teakle was on the receiving end of a superb counterattack led by skipper Cam Sutcliffe, who then went back and booted his third for the game.

Magpies skipper Cam Sutcliffe in action. Image: Brandon Hancock.

The Bulldogs then responded almost instantly through Oliver Shaw’s second, and it was back to the six-point ball game again.

McKenzie would be helped off the ground following a contest prior to Shaw’s goal and would take no further part in the game.

Both sides were missing key opportunities, Presbury would miss a checkside attempt, while Georgiades would hit the post.

But he stood up later when it mattered.

Following a strong Lord mark, the high-flying forward would take an uncontested grab in the pocket and send through the snap.

However, the sealer would come moments later from the same man.

Georgiades ran into the 50 and backed himself in to seal the game and he did just that with an emphatic celebration.

SCOREBOARD

Port Adelaide               4.0       8.2       8.6       11.8     (74)

Central District             2.2       7.4       7.6       8.9       (57)

Port Adelaide

Goals: Georgiades 4, Teakle 3, Visentini 2, Lord, N. Moore

Best: Mead, Georgiades, Teakle, Lord, Sutcliffe