FIRST impressions last forever.

Even a quarter of a century after Port Adelaide made its first mark on the AFL's national stage, the memories of that opening clash at the MCG against Collingwood do linger.

Greg Boulton, the club's president in the inaugural AFL season of 1997, left the MCG after the 13-goal loss to Collingwood insisting the Port Adelaide Football Club had to stop living off the glow of 34 premierships in the SANFL to create a new flame in the AFL. The "big league" would challenge the Port Adelaide Football Club more than the "small pond" of the SANFL. Seven years later, Boulton was in charge of a club celebrating its first national crown in 90 years.

That first AFL game confirmed Port Adelaide had made wise calls on forming its inaugural national league squad, in particular with young talent that could carry Port Adelaide's image and ambitions with pride for at least a decade. The same theme is emerging with the club's first AFLW squad.

Unlike John Cahill's men of 1997, Lauren Arnell's "inaugurals" have no ghosts to honour. There is no Port Adelaide Football Club senior women's team to emulate. There is no black-and-white women's team that had a century of grand achievements with 30-plus flags in a State league from 1877.

This is a new beginning at Alberton. Arnell's AFLW squad is writing its own history, or as they say, their own "herstory".

Arnell's "inaugurals" do want to embrace the club's traditions, in particular the theme of "playing the Port Adelaide way" - uncompromising, contested football that is hard at the ball and hard at the opponent. They have a reputation to uphold, as is demanded of every Port Adelaide men's team that plays in the AFL and SANFL.

"We played Port Adelaide footy," says Arnell of the team's start at Lathlain Park in Perth on Saturday.

It is a strong first impression that will (hopefully) be recalled more than the final margin of 12 points, disappointingly against Port Adelaide - after so much hard work was put into taking an 11-point lead on West Coast into the last term.

"I hope our Port Adelaide people saw the football we are capable of ...," added Arnell, the "outsider" who has embraced all that is Port Adelaide since taking charge of the women's program at Alberton five months ago.

Everyone - not just Port Adelaide people - saw a team that is going to be hard to beat and that will challenge opponents to be creative, as West Coast was with its four-goal last term. This is a fine first impression to leave on AFL opponents.

What was seen across the nation - and leaves a lasting first impression - is that this inaugural Port Adelaide women's team will not be defined by its first captain, Erin Phillips (as grand as she is as the pioneer champion of this women's football league that was established in 2017). It was a difficult start for the sporting great who has been waiting seven years to live this childhood dream of playing senior football for Port Adelaide, her family club. She suffered a corked leg early in the match - and stayed on the rain-soaked oval to guide a team with eight first-time AFLW players.

There are new heroes at Alberton.

Gemma Houghton is - to draw a comparison with the men's squad, if this can be done respectfully - the "Charlie Dixon" of Port Adelaide's AFLW campaign. The former Fremantle player is a strong go-to target in attack. She will make opposition defenders have sleepless nights on the eve of Port Adelaide matches - and nightmares during Port Adelaide games. She will draw fans through the turnstiles.

Maria Moloney is the midfielder who could draw comparisons (again respectfully) to Magarey Medallist Josh Francou from Port Adelaide's inaugural AFL season 25 years ago. She is energetic. She is determined. She is making up for time lost while standing in the shadow of the Brisbane midfield. She wears the No. 9 jumper very well.

Port Adelaide vice-captain Ange Foley last week recommended keeping an eye on 19-year-old midfielder Abbey Dowrick saying: "She is just hard. She has great hands, great skills. And Abbey is one of those girls who just is willing to learn and get better." A 21-touch start to an AFLW career suggests Dowrick is a quick learner.

Of the four teams added to the AFLW this season - Port Adelaide, Essendon, Hawthorn and Sydney - one was assured a win by the pairing of Essendon and Hawthorn in a season-opening derby at the Docklands in Melbourne. Essendon won by 26 points, as expected.

Sydney fell by 19 points to St Kilda.

Port Adelaide was unlucky not to hold that 11-point lead carried to the last term at Lathlain Park. The 12-point loss to Season 6 wooden spooner West Coast did no damage to the pre-season predictions from the pundits who rate Arnell's team as the best and most-capable of the four new entries to the AFLW. Every expert in the post-game analysis spoke confidently of Port Adelaide's prospects in this 10-game home-and-away season. They are holding good vibes from Port Adelaide's first impressions on the football field.

The last-quarter collapse to West Coast has not diminished the critics' views of what is capable from this new Port Adelaide team living to old Port Adelaide values.

For the first time, Alberton Oval will be the venue of a game carrying premiership points for a national title on Saturday. Port Adelaide will host the Western Bulldogs from 1.10pm. This will be the moment for making a grand first impression at home.