AFL FINALS are off the cards for Port Adelaide after the Western Bulldogs humbled the Power with an unstoppable run after quarter time at Etihad Stadium.

The Bulldogs had doubled the Power's score by the end of the game, and belted them in every other critical numerical aspect.

The Bulldogs were likened to the Port Adelaide of 2013 throughout the year - a side coming from a lowly position and rising quickly with a new coach at the helm. 

Now they sit inside the top four and a lock for finals.

However, the Port Adelaide of 2015 will be forced to watch and reflect on one of the worst performances it has produced since Ken Hinkley took over as senior coach 2.5 years ago.

Even with the loss of Ollie Wines through shoulder surgery during the week, the Power played nothing like the team that showed promise over the last month against Collingwood, Adelaide, Essendon and St Kilda and claim three wins from those encounters.

Those victories kept the Power's slim finals hopes alive; on Saturday, they were dashed by a younger team prepared to work hard to win the ball.

There were moments that typified the difference between the two clubs; notably ruckman Tom Campbell going to ground, yet still pushing to win the ball at the opening bounce of the third quarter.

Or Mitch Wallis being knocked to the ground in a marking contest but still having the drive and intensity to win the ball from a pack of Power jumpers. 

Promises dashed after quarter time

The game was built up as a speed-v-speed game at the beginning of the round and promised to be all that and more in the opening quarter.

The Power kicked three goals in the first 14 minutes and led by a slim seven-point margin at quarter time after Grant and Stringer kicked two goals.

But they would be the only three kicked by Port for the half.

Port was left to play the bystander as the Bulldogs kicked nine goals and a total of 60 points to half time.

Tory Dickson and Stringer bagged three each for the first half in dominant displays up forward, but it was the run through the middle that delivered the home side victory.

The Bulldogs had almost 100 more disposals than Port at half time, and led the overall contested possessions, having moved with precision via handball through the middle.

Ryder, White and Wingard kicked goals in the third term, but the Bulldogs were having a field day; even though the Power had matched the Bulldogs’ goal line, they were smashed with the total scoring opportunities by four.

Elementary majors to Boak and Robbie Gray in the final quarter was eclipsed with swift, clinical ease by the Bulldogs to close a horror day for the visiting side as the Bulldogs almost toyed with them.

Nothing was more telling in the Power's horror day than a goal to Liam Picken off the back of a fumbled kick-in by Jasper Pittard to force a stoppage at the top of the goal square, promptly followed by a free kick for a deliberate forced score when Paddy Ryder belted the ensuing ball-up into the goal post. 

September ends

The result leaves Port Adelaide unable to reach, and undeserving of the opportunity to play, in the 2015 finals.

As Ken Hinkley said upon his arrival at the start of 2013, football teams get what they deserve. 

On Saturday, the lacklustre performance offered up by Port Adelaide was visual proof that it would not fare well even if it could somehow reach the September pressure test.

That the eight highest ball-winners for the game were Bulldogs spoke volumes, in reality, the cheap ball won late in the game by the Power's top possession players made for a flattering stats sheet.

There were few positives, save only for small examples of endeavour - like that of upgraded rookie Sam Gray who provided hardness around the ball with five tackles, four clearances and 21 touches.

Travis Boak and Brad Ebert toiled hard.

Port must now regroup and focus on its four remaining games of the season - against GWS (Adelaide Oval), Hawthorn (Etihad Stadium), Gold Coast (Metricon Stadium) and Fremantle (Adelaide Oval).

SCOREBOARD

PORT ADELAIDE                         2.2          9.7          12.13           19.14          (64)
WESTERN BULLDOGS              3.3          3.5          6.7               9.10            (128)

Best
S. Gray, Boak, Ebert, White

Goals
Wingard, Schulz 2, Westhoff, Ryder, White, Boak, R. Gray

Injuries
nil

Substitutes
Sam Colquhoun replaced Matthew Lobbe during the third quarter

Crowd
20,590 at Etihad Stadium