JEREMY FINLAYSON has had valuable game time in his return from a syndesmosis injury as Port Adelaide went down to North Adelaide in a SANFL practice match on Saturday.

A more experienced and more accurate Roosters outfit won by 53 points on a warm but overcast day at Thebarton Oval.

Riley Bonner led all comers with 27 touches, while Jackson Mead had 21 and Jake Pasini finished with 20.

Port Adelaide coach Tyson Goldsack was pleased with some passages of the game but came away with plenty for his side to work on.

PORT ADELAIDE 2023 SANFL FIXTURE

"That's our first real hit out," he said after the game.

"It was a time to come together and get some minutes in and see if we're getting some transfer from our training over summer.

"The scoreboard will tell a different story, but there was some nice stuff in there, we were just a little bit patchy, and we'll get that inconsistency in play given our age and the amount of footy we've played together.

"For some of it, not majority of it, there was some good stuff."

Finlayson returned to the side six weeks after syndesmosis repair surgery, finishing with 1.4 but played out the game, and Goldsack was pleased with his return and that of second-year defender Josh Sinn.

"Jez has had a fair lay off, we wanted to get some kilometres in the leg, he got the minutes he needed, had five shots on goal, not a bad return," the coach said.

"Josh Sinn was similar, we haven't seen him move that well for a long time, he was able to break lines, use the ball fairly well, he got a bit heavy towards the end of the game.

Neither side could gain an ascendancy early in the contest, with both teams missing set shots early.

Finlayson was busy early, presenting well and clunking the marks, with the inaccuracy the only blemish on a solid return to action.

Down back, Tom Clurey took up the role of goalkeeper as he prevented the Roosters' first major early.

However, North would capitalise on a defensive error to take the lead 10 minutes into the opening term and take a seven-point advantage.

Next Generation Academy draftee Nathan Barkla would grab an almost immediate response for the Magpies, balancing and composing himself for his side's first.

The Roosters would maintain control of the first quarter however, kicking the next three goals to lead by 18 points at the first change.

Tall defender Kyle Marshall's day ended early as he limped to the bench with an ankle injury at the end of the first quarter.

Despite an early goal to North to start the second stanza, the Magpies had their opportunities to get back into the contest. Ollie Lord missed a set shot following a free kick, and Teakle was unfortunate to only register a behind from a tough angle on the 50-metre arc.

The Roosters would make them pay with back-to-back majors and opened up a 28-point lead halfway through the quarter.

Port's chances would continue coming. Jed Hagan had a dribbled miss narrowly before Finlayson's struggles with the big sticks continued with two more behinds. However, he broke the rut off the ground with a strike even Harry Kane would've been proud of to cut the deficit to 25 points.

Roosters big man Mitch Harvey missed late but his side took a 26-point lead into the main change.

Last year’s SANFL runners up then put their foot down early on and kicked six unanswered goals to blow the margin out to 83 points early in the third term.

Yet, the Magpies flicked a switch and the transition through the midfield looked on point. Link up handballs from the likes of Trent Dumont, Hugh Jackson, Jackson Mead and Josh Sinn were a joy to watch and helped start a run of Magpies goals.

New draftee Tom Scully got his first taste of the big sticks after a terrific pack mark to convert, before Ollie Lord capitalised on an advantage to belt the ball through for Port's third in a row.

After a shaky start to the third, Port had cut the margin to 46 points at the final change.

North would kick the first of the quarter, but Barkla cancelled it out in style.

The Magpies pounced after a poor opposition kick and Barkla was the beneficiary, running into the 50 and going bang for his second.

It was goal for goal in the last term as North crumbed one in the square, before Sam Hayes converted a set shot from 50 metres out for his first.

Scully got further into the match deep in the fourth quarter, making a strong lead and getting reward for effort with a great goal.

Of the new draftees Scully and Barkla were the most prolific, with the former finding plenty of chances in the forward 50.

"Sculls naturally gets shots on goal, he likes to stay home a bit more, we're trying to find that balance of working up the ground, where he can get used and give us some defensive stuff as well," Goldsack reflected of the teenager.

"When he's around the ball in the forward line, he looks pretty good."

Port Adelaide will take on the Crows in a second and final pre-season hit out at Alberton from 10am on Sunday 26 March.

Scoreboard

Port Adelaide                1.3       2.8       5.8       8.11     (59)

North Adelaide 4.3       7.4       13.6     17.10    (112)

Goals: Scully 3, Barkla 2, Finlayson, Hayes, Lord