Premiers pounced
Port Adelaide beat West Coast at its own game. The Eagles are renowned for winning intercept possession and beating up on other sides by winning hit-outs and clearances thanks to their use of two ruckmen. The Premiers also rely on their dominant forwards to boot a score. The Power limited the influence of those forwards by employing a full team defence and limiting the home side to just 38 inside 50s while having 71 of its own. The visiting side managed 46 hit-outs to 36 thanks to the work of Paddy Ryder and former Eagle Scott Lycett, and 50 clearances to 33 to nullify the Eagles’ midfield dominance. It also beat the Eagles for intercept possessions (93-76) to complete a dominant display in the west and consign the Eagles to their worst loss at Optus Stadium.

Wines improves with time
Ollie Wines had a slow start to 2019, having missed the first two games as he recovered from a shoulder injury. After 19 and 20 disposals against Brisbane and Richmond, Wines bounced back to his brilliant best with an equal career-high 35 disposals. He also had an equal career-high 10 inside 50s to go with a goal. His 636 metres gained was the most of any player in the match and is his third-best ever result in his 132-game career. Wines also managed ten clearances and four marks in a big return to form.

There is a role for Sam Gray
Often much maligned with a section of the Port Adelaide faithful, Gray made his presence felt after spending part of the early season in the SANFL. He was brilliant against the Eagles with 26 disposals as well as eight marks and four clearances. He also had five tackles and seven inside 50s for two goal assists. In a game that was important to his boyhood mate Scott Lycett in his return to Perth, Gray also finished with two goals of his own.

The young boys can play
We’ve said it before and we will say it again but Port’s young brigade is holding its own at AFL level. Connor Rozee’s burst of speed to boot a goal late in the third quarter was crushing for the Eagles and undoubtedly a game-sealing moment. But he wasn’t alone in the young brigade with Zak Butters managing 19 touches and four marks, Xavier Duursma providing his trademark dash with 12 touches, three marks and two goals and Willem Drew 20 touches, five marks and a goal. Todd Marshall also returned to the side and played a key role in nullifying the Eagles key defenders including Jeremy McGovern while managing 10 disposals, three marks and a goal.

Power lessons learned
Port Adelaide led for 109 minutes and 57 seconds against West Coast. The Eagles didn’t lead at all throughout the match. It was a similar tale when the sides last met in Round 21, 2018. The Power led 104 minutes and 59 seconds but conceded a late mark to Jeremy McGovern and he kicked the winning goal after the siren to claim the win by four points. It was a heartbreaking result and no doubt stuck in the minds of the Port Adelaide players. This time around, there was no let up from Port as it continued to attack, even when the home side mounted a challenge in the third quarter.