PORT Adelaide SANFL coach Garry Hocking was impressed with his side's relentless pressure in its 66-point win over South Adelaide on Friday night.
More than five goals up at half time, the Magpies continued to mount pressure on the Panthers, and rarely let the momentum slip during their Round 2 clash at Noarlunga.
The win sets up a dream start to Port Adelaide’s 2015 SANFL campaign.
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It was a far cry from when the two sides met in last year's preliminary final, where the Magpies were forced to overcome a first-half slump to run out eventual 20-point winners.
Hocking, although acknowledging the big win against the Panthers comes at the beginning of a long season, is demanding his players produce that style of football all year.
"We played [against South Adelaide] the way we want to play," Hocking said.
"It doesn't matter whether it is Round 1 or 21, that's the style of play we hope to get every week.
"We were able to put them under a lot of pressure... our guys played right to the end and that's the development stage for our players.
"That's the style we want - even if it is the 24th-minute mark - just keep at it and keep putting on the pressure.
"[Last year Round 1] we were probably more focussed on winning rather than performing.
"Tonight was about getting back to speed, power, force and performing.
"I was really proud that they carried out the structures for four quarters."
Hocking credited preparation from his coaching staff and the players for the strong first-up performance.
"They [South] are a team that kicks the ball pretty well, so we just wanted to get them to handball and take the ball away from them," Hocking said
"Our coaches did a really good job of reviewing their game against Glenelg last week.
"We [the coaches] set up a few things, but it's up to them to perform, so hats off to the players and carry out the structures and instructions."
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Port Adelaide will look to build on its Round 2 success when it returns to Alberton Oval next Saturday 18 April to play North Adelaide.
"If we can replicate everything we did against South, I'm sure the players would be happy and I'd be a happy coach," Hocking said.
"That's the challenge and we know teams are going to come at us, but we want to make sure we put our best foot forward every week and play hard, strong contested footy."
