Sunshine soaked Alberton Oval for Port Adelaide’s first home match of the SANFL season, but it was the Panthers who made the most of the perfect conditions, running out 36-point winners.
After leading by nine points at half time, South kicked six goals in the first 13 minutes of the second half to put a 46-point buffer between the two sides.
The Panthers had come to play from the outset, dominating possession and inside 50s in the opening stages of the match, but most importantly were able to convert its quick start into scoreboard pressure.
The Magpies found themselves down by 14 points at the nine minute mark of the opening quarter with accurate set shots from Alex Cailotto and star Joel Cross.
Port wrestled itself back into the contest thanks to a strong one on one contest from Magpies recruit Dallas Hill to set up Billy Frampton’s first goal against the run of play.
Just a minute later Hill once again played a role in Port’s second goal, spotting up Cam Hewett on the paint of the 50, who returned the favour and slotted the major.
The game broke open late in the first term as Sam Mayes, Cam Sutcliffe and last week’s best on ground Jack Trengove started to get their hands on the ball, each ending the term with nine disposals.
Panther Mark Noble undid all of Port’s handywork and converted a set shot just seconds before the quarter time siren to give his side a 10-point lead at the first break.
The Magpies didn’t find themselves behind for long as Kane Farrell booted two goals in the opening two minutes of the second quarter, but Port weren’t able to find the big sticks for the remainder of the quarter.
The duel Magarey Medallist, Cross started to flex his muscles and kicked his second goal from 55m and began to gather the ball around the ground.
The Magpies’ defence had plenty to do but were unable to stop a fast break which ended in Tom Whittlesea (four goals for the match) goaling from the pocket at the 11-minute mark.
Port trailed by nine points at half time despite dominating the key statistics.
The Magpies had 42 more disposals and 29 more marks, but the defence was being stretched as South had 11 more inside 50s.
South went bang in the third term and blew the game apart before Port could respond.
Small forward Tobin Cox steadied the ship with a snap from the pocket, but Liddle answered back immediately with a nice goal of his own to continue the carnage.
Boyd Woodcock made the three quarter time scoreboard look a little better with a long goal from 50, as the Magpies went into final break 39 points down.
Port had the better of the last quarter with two goals to Trent McKenzie but it was too little too late as South went on to win 14.10-94 to 8.10-58.
The Magpies lost captain Cam Sutcliffe (hamstring) and Aidyn Johnson (concussion) during the first quarter, neither of them played out the rest of the game. Both will be assessed in the coming week.
SCORE: 2.1, 4.3, 6.4, 8.10 – 58 to 3.5, 5.6, 12.7, 14.10 – 94
GOAL KICKERS: Farrell (2), McKenzie (2), Cox, Frampton, Hewett, Woodcock.
BEST PLAYERS: Trengove, Frampton, Broadbent, Mayes, Woodcock, McKenzie
INJURIES: Sutcliffe (hamstring), Johnson (concussion)
