PORT ADELAIDE has clicked into gear after a stuttering start to the season, holding on for an eight-point victory over a wayward Sydney at the SCG.

The Power, who was forced to sub Brownlow medallist Ollie Wines out of the game at the main break due to a "heart flutter", led from start to finish in their 13.7 (85) to 10.17 (77) triumph on Sunday afternoon.

While Wines was removed from the action as a precaution after experiencing heart palpitations, just as he did in a game in 2022 and again last year, Zak Butters led the rest of the Power's on-ball brigade to hold the Swans at arm's length despite a belated fightback.

The Power was on track to comfortably make it back-to-back wins before an inspired cameo from Swans substitute Aaron Francis gave the visitors a scare.

Francis was called into the game in the third term for his first appearance of the season with the Swans crying out for an aerial target, before the 27-year-old booted three goals from marks inside 50.

Power goalsneak Willie Rioli booted his third goal of the game to settle the nerves halfway through the final term, although the Swans were still to rue a pair of missed set shots late from Hayden McLean, who finished with 2.4.

Mitch Georgiades booted the Power's last major with his third goal, although the key forward might have finished with a bigger haul after spilling several marks throughout the game.

Butters was the dominant force around the stoppages as he gathered 27 disposals with 17 contested as well as seven clearances and eight tackles, while Jason Horne-Francis added more than just valuable support with 20 touches.

Power captain Connor Rozee helped set up the victory while pulling the strings dashing out of defence and finished with an influential 27 disposals and 825m gained.

The Swans sent James Jordon to Rozee from the opening bounce but when their first-choice run-with player was unable to limit the damage, he was moved back into the midfield before the main break.

The Power has now won nine of their past 10 matches against the Swans, although their only defeat in that stretch crucially came in a preliminary final last year.

The Swans paid the price for failing to hit targets inside 50 and for misfiring in front of goal throughout the game, booting 5.8 in the final term.

Matt Roberts (30 disposals) and Nick Blakey (27) added run out of defence, but the Swans found it hard to get their ball movement going.

Isaac Heeney battled hard in the midfield with 22 touches and two goals without quite adding his usual spark under pressure from Willem Drew, while James Rowbottom finished with 23 touches and a goal.

Despite the late surge, the defeat leaves last year's beaten grand finalists still to taste victory on their home deck in three attempts since coach Dean Cox took charge.

Power take no risks with Wines
Ollie Wines showed few signs of an issue as he gathered eight disposals with 228m gained and a couple of tackles while Port Adelaide opened up a healthy lead over Sydney in the first half. But the 2021 Brownlow medallist was unable to return to play after the main break due to experiencing heart palpitations, as the Power soon subbed in Rory Atkins for his club debut. Wines previously had a similar issue against Hawthorn last year and earlier in a clash with Melbourne in 2022, leaving the Power to make a quick and easy decision to remove their former co-captain from the action. The Power's football boss Chris Davies told Channel 7: "Ollie had a bit of a heart flutter, he's in the rooms now, feeling far better". Davies added that Wines will "go through whatever he needs to this week".

Georgiades digs into his bag of tricks
Mitch Georgiades made a stirring return from a ruptured ACL early in 2023 to cement his place as the Power's spearhead with a career-high 44 goals from 20 matches. The 192cm key forward looks set for even greater rewards this year as his contested marking turns into a weapon and gives him more shots at goal from within range. But the 23-year-old left himself with plenty to do when leading into the deep forward pocket and marking just inside the boundary in the opening term before settling into a classy check-side goal that showed he has more tricks in his bag than just forward craft.

SYDNEY    1.2       2.7       5.9       10.17 (77)
PORT ADELAIDE    4.2       7.4       10.7      13.7 (85)

GOALS
Sydney: Francis 3, Hayward 2, Heeney 2, McLean 2, Rowbottom
Port Adelaide: Rioli 3, Georgiades 3, Powell-Pepper 2, Lord, Rozee, Cochrane, Drew, Byrne-Jones

BEST
Sydney: Rowbottom, Roberts, Blakey, Lloyd, McLean, Francis
Port Adelaide: Butters, Rozee, Horne-Francis, Farrell, Rioli, Burgoyne, Georgiades

INJURIES
Sydney: Nil
Port Adelaide: Wines (heart)

LATE CHANGES
Sydney: Nil
Port Adelaide: Joe Richards (illness) replaced by Rory Atkins

SUBSTITUTES
Sydney: Aaron Francis (replaced Tom Hanily in the third quarter)
Port Adelaide: Rory Atkins (replaced Ollie Wines at half-time)