A BATTERED Port Adelaide has registered its lowest score since Round 21, 2011 against a superior Sydney outfit under lights at the Adelaide Oval.
It's 44-point total on Saturday night came from just five goal kickers - and with no goals in the final term - leaving the Port locker room with plenty to review ahead of next weekend's now-crucial encounter with North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium.
It was a game that belied the even stats sheet - the Power were simply outplayed in every aspect.
They weren't aided by the premature substitution of Jarman Impey with a hamstring injury, nor niggles to Matthew Broadbent and Robbie Gray who were forced from the field at the end of the first and second quarters.
But body problems were no excuse for the gremlins that plagued Port throughout the night.
Compounded by the Swans' relentless pressure, the Power's ball use failed during crucial plays, as it constructed plenty of unnecessary error hurdles to overcome as it pushed towards goal.
Sydney suffocated Port's options throughout the night, even forcing them to retreat in defence in a manner not seen in the last two years, and used a solid 20-point lead at the main break to launch its third term demolition job.
Three goals in eight minutes put paid to the Power's prospects on the scoreboard; at ground level the home side was faring little better.
Often outnumbered at contests, the Power was forced to boom long kicks to contests, where Sydney's defence stood up to belt away their rivals' opportunities.
They cleaned up Port's low and short kicks with a goal keeper in the square, and built a wall along the last line of defence to mop up the loose ball.
The Swans' structure down back was toxic to Port's attempts up forward, but around the ground its ability to close off the Power's midfield options squeezed the Power wide and slowed their trademark running game.
Port's best players were really the club's best toilers, for none stamped authority on the game.
Jasper Pittard was one of those toilers - his remarkable 34 touches coming as he frequently tried to create opportunity out of deep defence.
Robbie Gray lifted himself into the thick of the contest to try and feed the ball to teammates all night, Angus Monfries got himself in the right spots forward of centre, and Jay Schulz was the Power's best target up forward, despite his inaccurate night in front of goal.
Starting the season with no wins from two games is not what the Power wanted, particularly ahead of Saturday's must-win game against the Kangaroos and coming battles against the deadly Hawks and in-form Crows.
SCOREBOARD
PORT ADELAIDE 1.1 4.2 6.5 6.8 (44)
SYDNEY SWANS 3.1 7.4 11.6 14.8 (92)
PORTADELAIDEFC.COM.AU’S BEST
Pittard, Monfries, R. Gray, Jonas, Wines, Broadbent
GOALS
Ryder 2, Schulz, Wingard, Westhoff, Monfries
SUBSTITUTE
Matt White replaced Jarman Impey (hamstring) in the second quarter
INJURIES
Ebert (split lip), Impey (hamstring)
CROWD
49,765 at the Adelaide Oval
