The Power led by just 10 points at the main change after a tight first half, but piled on seven goals to the Demons’ three in the third quarter to increase the margin to 36 points at three-quarter time.
The Dees added some respectability on the scoreboard, with three goals in the final term but the damage had already been done and the home side ran out comfortable winners 17.10 (112) to 11.17 (83).
Jay Schulz booted five goals to overtake Brett Ebert as Port Adelaide’s leading goalkicker this season, while Travis Boak and Robbie Gray each finished with three.
Captain Dom Cassisi (27 possessions), Danyle Pearce (20 possessions and eight inside 50s) and David Rodan (15 possessions and eight clearances) worked hard in the midfield, while Alipate Carlile was steadfast in defence.
Enigmatic forward Liam Jurrah did his best to ignite the visitors, kicking four goals and hauling in one of the marks of the season.
The only sour note to Port Adelaide’s win was a knee injury to Ebert in the first term.
The Power assumed control midway through the term and consecutive goals to Boak and Danyle Pearce put the home side two points ahead at the first change.
Port Adelaide was much cleaner with its possession, with the likes of Rodan, Boak and Pearce moving the ball quickly to set up four unanswered goals.
Melbourne refused to give in, but failed to get the margin back into single digits and the Power set up the win with a dominant third-quarter performance.
Port Adelaide 3.2 8.2 15.6 17.10 (112)
Melbourne 2.6 5.10 8.11 11.17 (83)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Schulz 5, Boak 3, Gray 3, Pearce, Thomas, Broadbent, Hitchcock, D. Stewart, P. Stewart
Melbourne: Jurrah 4, Wonaeamirri 2, Watts, Dunn, McDonald, Green, Scully
BEST
Port Adelaide: Boak, Cassisi, Pearce, Schulz, Brogan, Gray, Rodan, Carlile
Melbourne: Bruce, McDonald, Jurrah, Morton, Frawley, Scully, Trengove,
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Ebert (knee)
Melbourne: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: McLaren, Hay, Mollison
Official crowd: 21,086 at AAMI Stadium
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
