PORT ADELAIDE's first promotion to the national stage in 1997 split a traditional football club along AFL and SANFL lines - Alberton and Ethelton - for 14 years until the "One Club" reunification. But Port Adelaide's second national league entry has made the club stronger and reinforced the power of unity.

"We do feel complete," says Port Adelaide AFLW senior coach Lauren Arnell of the power women's football has brought to the Australian game.

"Every football club that now has a W program recognises that. It is really special for us at Port Adelaide - it is so exciting to have that extra element of our footy club that continues to build."

Three teams (AFL, AFLW and SANFL), one club - one identity: Port Adelaide. Since 1870.

And the bonds between the men's and women's programs at Alberton are built on family bloodlines as well - brother and sister Xavier and Yasmin Duursma, who share the No. 7 jumper at Port Adelaide and cousins Julia and Brynn Teakle. 

"Julia and Brynn Teakle landed at Alberton at a similar time, halfway through the year," Arnell said. "Brynn is coming to all our home games along with (fellow Port Adelaide AFL player) Marty Frederick."

The connection with the men's program ensured the W players were well versed on the "Power To Win" club song that was belted across Alberton Oval on Saturday evening after Port Adelaide's historic first win on the national women's stage.

"At the back end of the (AFL) season, our players saw our men's team win a few games and a lot of our W players - particularly in the Showdown - heard the club song," Arnell said. "So, they had a good sense of what it sounds like."

Arnell acknowledged the support - "from players and coaches" - shown by the men in the Port Adelaide AFL program after her "Inaugurals" followed up the draw against Carlton with the club's first W in W with the 66-point thumping of Sydney at Alberton Oval on Saturday afternoon.

The result underlined the power of Arnell's playbook - that emphasises contested football - while her players adjusted to testing conditions at Alberton.

"It certainly was pumping down with rain during the 'Welcome to Country' ceremony before the game," Arnell said. "And (the challenge of wet-weather games) does suit our football when we thrive on contested possession and ground-ball. Having a wet-weather game was okay for us. The wind was another thing - and our team did adjust to the conditions and played the outer side of the ground really well, particularly against the wind."

While Port Adelaide's defence conceded no goal and the attack delivered the team's highest score in four games, Arnell paid tribute to the midfield unit that has needed to adapt while injuries have removed key forward Gemma Houghton (ankle) and ruck Liz McGrath (hamstring) from the team sheet.

"(Basketball convert) Olivia Levicki was playing her fourth game in the ruck after we lost our No. 1 ruck Liz McGrath with a hamstring strain last week (against Carlton)," Arnell said. "Olivia has really stepped up into that role. And our forwards were able to capitalise."

One of those forwards is AFLW midfield star Erin Phillips who is now tormenting defenders while covering the absence of Houghton. She was involved in eight of Port Adelaide's scores at the weekend and assisted in five of the 10 goals to make a statement in the captain's 50th AFLW game.

"Erin might be leading the league in goal assists now - that is one part of her game that has been under-rated," Arnell said of her skipper. "The way she is leading our very young group - and she was up and about at the weekend -  is based on a lot of selfless team acts that do not go on the stat sheets, but certainly impact the game."

Phillips' move to attack has handed extra responsibility to two teenagers - Abbey Dowrick and Hannah Ewings, the Rising Star nominees from round 1 and 3. They were stand-out players at the weekend, combining for 43 touches, four goals, 12 clearances and a defining 25 contested possessions. 

The pair almost seem to be trying to outdo each other while developing an extraordinary tandem in the Port Adelaide midfield.

"Rather than butt heads against each other they support each other so well," Arnell said of Ewings and Dowrick. "Abbey is a little bit older (19), not much, but a touch older than Hannah (18). The acknowledgement they have of each other; they continue to develop. To have them in the same midfield together is really great for us - and they are going to get better for us."

Dowrick, who moved from Perth to Adelaide to play SANFLW this year to prove her worth to Port Adelaide's inaugural 30-player squad, has challenged the verdicts of the recruiting scouts who ignored her in two AFLW drafts.

"Abbey has never had the silver spoon in her mouth," said Arnell of Dowrick's determination to become an AFLW player. "She has never had anything come easy to her. She plays a tough, contested brand of footy. At times, maybe, she has been misunderstood. Maybe, in being overlooked, she has found that extra resilience and ability to focus on what is important to play at this level. And we are benefitting from that. Abbey is maturing; she is now 19 and we are so pleased to have her at Port Adelaide."

Port Adelaide's first W in W has answered vice-captain Ange Foley's demand for her team-mates to believe in their ambitions for this 10-round home-and-away season.

"It is massive for our belief," Arnell said. "I am looking forward to our game review and reliving that feeling we had in the room after the game. There is a strong sense of belief. We are learning each week we are together. That will be a nice platform for us to grow from.

"I am so pleased for our group that they get rewarded for effort. In our four games that we have played, we have put ourselves in winning positions in each of them. To get the W and four points on the ladder is crucial - and gives our group reward for effort."

Port Adelaide plays Gold Coast in south-east Queensland on Sunday.

"It is well known we have a few players who have come from Gold Coast, so there is a little bit of extra flavour in the game," Arnell said.

Port Adelaide recruited Hannah Dunn, Jacqui Yorston, Kate Surman, Cheyenne Hammond and Britt Perry from the Gold Coast list for its inaugural squad.