AN unselfish team performance has helped Port Adelaide break its run of outs by brushing Melbourne aside in the heart of Australia with a brilliant 61-point win.
It puts the Power at 4-5 after nine rounds, and puts a full stop to a May punctuated by losses.
With skipper Travis Boak leading from the front with 31 touches and ably helped by deputy Brad Ebert across the ground, Port resurrected its fortunes on the field with a display characterised by the “team care” Ken Hinkley has demanded for the last month.
Jay Schulz booted four majors, while Angus Monfries slotted three in his milestone 200th game, with 11 individual goal scorers highlighting the Power’s dominance of the game up forward.
The victory came despite Port Adelaide failing to blow the cobwebs of a horror month away early, with Melbourne genuinely threatening to upset the more fancied Power with an impressive first 30 minutes.
Port Adelaide’s lack of intensity in the opening quarter was punished by Melbourne time and again with a verve and attack at the ball such that Port couldn’t score a goal within the confines of two sirens - Schulz only booting the Power’s first after the quarter time bell had sounded.
And while just 12 points separated both sides at quarter time, Melbourne dominated all key areas to leave the Power looking like their demons of the past four games would continue to haunt them.
Things began looking dire when Hogan booted his second within the first 30 seconds after quarter time and while Monfries neutralised it shortly after, back-to-back majors fro Jeff Garlett in quick succession pushed the deficit out to 24 points.
But suddenly the Power turned its fortunes with precision kicking and ball use reversing its unimpressive start to the game by kicking the final six goals of the half.
With Jack Hombsch moving to shut down the dangerous Hogan and the Power getting on top at stoppages both in the middle and around the ground, Port kicked away with an exciting display in attack to effect an 85-point reversal in one of its best performances for the year.
Most encouraging for the Power would be its mammoth performance coming alongside a strong second-half defensive effort, with Melbourne kept to just two majors after half time.
Port booted 51 points from turnovers in its most prolific return in that statistic for the year, and its tackle pressure and force of numbers around the ball was critical for its massive goal surge.
Remaining outside the top eight on percentage, the win is confidence-boosting for a side looking to recapture the stellar form it produced in 2014.
Port Adelaide next hosts the Western Bulldogs at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday 6 June at 7:10pm in what should be a tantalising game as both sides look to push inside the top ranked teams.
SCOREBOARD
PORT ADELAIDE 1.2 8.4 12.6 18.7 (115)
MELBOURNE 3.2 6.2 7.3 8.6 (54)
PORTADELAIDEFC.COM.AU’S BEST
Boak, Ebert, Hombsch, R. Gray, Broadbent, Monfries, S. Gray, Schulz, Wingard, Wines, Jonas
GOALS
Schulz 4, Monfries 3, Westhoff, Wingard 2, Amon, R. Gray, Stewart, White, Ebert, Krakouer
SUBSTITUTE
Nathan Krakouer replaced Karl Amon in the fourth quarter
INJURIES
Nil
CROWD
4,866 at TIO Traeger Park Oval
