This was originally published on afl.com.au.
A GALVANISED Port Adelaide has emerged from an emotional week to snap a two-game losing streak with a 33-point win over North Melbourne.
Sam Gray's four goals were the catalyst for the Power's 15.12 (102) to 10.9 (69) win at Etihad Stadium, which halted the Kangaroos' promising run of form.
Port also benefited from Tom Jonas' excellent defensive job on in-form forward Ben Brown, who kicked two of his four goals when the game was all but over.
As significant as the win was for Port, it was tempered by Chad Wingard's serious-looking left hamstring injury in the fourth quarter.
The Power had to level their emotions heading into the game, having rallied around young forward Todd Marshall this week following the passing of his father Robert just six months after his mother Mary lost her fight with cancer.
They also had to deal with Hamish Hartlett suffering a season-ending knee injury at training, the messy conclusion to the Sam Powell-Pepper saga, and Lindsay Thomas' Tribunal case that added three games to his one-match suspension from last week's loss to Geelong.
Coach Ken Hinkley said he would know in the opening five minutes if his players were up for the challenge after such a tough time and would have been pleased with what he saw.
The Power tripled the Kangaroos' tackles in that period, which saw them reverse the lead after Brown signaled his intentions for a big day with the game's opening goal just 14 seconds in.
But they had a plan for the Coleman Medal leader. Jonas lined up next to him, but there was a drop-off defender ready for a double-team every time the Roos went inside 50.
The Kangaroos tried their best to clear out the arc with Brown, Jarrad Waite and Jack Ziebell – or a resting midfielder – the only players to start each bounce inside 50, with their flanking forwards high on the wing.
Waite got out a few times when Brown was held and took four marks (and kicked three goals), but both key forwards couldn't get involved when the game was up for grabs.
With the exception of three minutes late in the first term, the Power didn't trail again after Brown's first goal and built a healthy 25-point half-time lead by dominating in close with 10 more contested possessions for the half.
North tagger Ben Jacobs reduced the efficiency of a variety of opponents; he spent the most time on Ollie Wines, who had 11 touches before the break and 20 for the game, gave Brad Ebert a hard time at stoppages and ran with Robbie Gray when he went into the midfield.
But with the impressive Charlie Dixon refusing to let Todd Goldstein take advantage at the stoppages, Jacob's stopping jobs didn't matter much as the Power held on in a more open, flowing second-half performance.
SCOREBOARD
PORT ADELAIDE 4.5 8.6 12.8 15.12 (102)
NORTH MELBOURNE 2.1 4.5 6.7 10.9 (69)
GOALS
S Gray 4, Wingard, Neade 2, Westhoff, R Gray, Polec, Dixon, Johnson, Houston, Watts
BEST
Polec, S Gray, Jonas, Hombsch, Ebert, Boak, Westhoff, Dixon
