AFTER losing by under 2 goals to Brisbane Lions the week before, the Power rewarded 7 goal hero Jay Schulz with a new contract, with the forward committing his future to the club.

At his ‘final thoughts’ press conference on the Friday, coach Matthew Primus encouraged both Alipate Carlile and Jackson Trengove to follow suit and sign up to stay with Port Adelaide.

Losing three players - Justin Westhoff, Simon Phillips and Andrew Moore - to injury, the Power brought back veteran Chad Cornes, and rewarded the strong SANFL form of Mitch Banner and Cameron Hitchcock, who returned to the side to face the Saints.

The latter began the match as the elected substitute, joined on the pine by Banner, Jacobs and Ebert.

The Saints picked up a free from the opening bounce, with Riewoldt having a shot on goal from the get go, which he nailed. From the opening bounce - which bizarrely came after the first goal of the game - the Saints streamed forward, with Montagna goaling. Dal Santo won another free from the centre bounce and the Saints went forward again, with Milne dropping a chest mark.

Hartlett earned the first Power free for the game, and gave the ball to Chad Cornes, with the crowd giving the returning veteran a big cheer for his first kick in the AFL since earlier in the year when Schulz was out injured.

Both sides struggled with the breeze, and as the rain came down the Saints had another inside 50 to Port’s none, with Lynch earning a free, and pushed it wide.

A lovely bit of burst running from Rodan from a stoppage on the half-back flank saw the Power stream forward - after an error by hand by Ebert, eventually the Power were able to work the ball to Gray, whose kick from just inside 50 was true.

Rodan took a one-hander at the 19 minute mark of the term to relieve some pressure, with Thomas storming down the wing - his kick was ill-directed, but after fumbling the ball back into Port’s 50 eventually the Saints were able to clear the ball and get it forward, only for it to be cut off and the Power to build an attacking move once more, before it was cut off and Milne dribbled one through for about 25 metres out.

Peake got some space and hit Riewoldt without any issue, and the big Saints skipper went straight back and drilled his second goal for the game.

Pearce engaged in a bit of push-and-shove with Goddard, and earned a free and then a 50 metre penalty, with his long kick inside 50 being pulled down in a great mark by Chad Cornes - he ran around and narrowly missed as the clock ticked over to 29 minutes. Gray had a checkside snap seconds later but also missed, before the Saints similarly wasted a snap on goal.

QUARTER TIME: 1.2.8 to 4.2.26. Goal: Gray. Possessions: Cassisi, Hartlett and Logan all 7, K Cornes 6, Gray, Jacobs, Rodan and Trengove with 5 apiece.

Whilst there was no free kick to open proceedings in the second term as there had been in the first, the same player had a shot at goal to open the scoring for the quarter - but this time Riewoldt missed his shot at goal.

Hartlett pulled down a delightful mark at the four minute mark that saw him juggle it a myriad of times, before earning a 50 metre penalty for his troubles. The Power’s inability to move the ball forward was a severe concern, with the Saints flooding back into their defensive 50.

Eventually the Power was able to work the ball along the boundary and a high kick inside 50 saw Schulz pull down another strong mark at the 5 minute mark, and his first shot on goal for the game was straight as a die over the goal umpire’s head.

The Saints answered it straight away through former Geelong player Gamble.

After a long gap where the ball failed to move beyond the wings, the Saints worked the ball to Steven, who kicked truly from directly in front.

An ordinary effort in the back half saw the ball gifted to Milne, who made no mistake and made the Power pay, with Riewoldt goaling again for his third mere moments later following another strong mark on the lead.

Hartlett continued his impressive game across half-back, following on from his move there the week before, with a long kick inside 50 hitting Schulz perfectly. His kick was spot on the money, and his second for the game. Dan Stewart earned a free for a push in the back and goaled truly from just outside the goalsquare.

Port seemed to have all the momentum with Boak earned a free inside the centre square, but his errant kick hit a Saints player who rebounded directly through the middle of the ground to give Gamble a goal.

HALF-TIME: 4.2.26 to 9.3.57. Goals: Schulz 2, Gray, Stewart. Possessions: Hartlett 17, Cassisi and Logan 12, Boak, K Cornes and Gray all 11, O’Shea 9.

The third quarter started with the ball whipping from one half back flank to the other, and eventually Riewoldt was rewarded with a free kick, kicking his fourth for the first time in a match in 2011.

The game was full of animosity, with several instances of players wrestling off the ball, sometimes a whole swathe of players piling up on top of one another when the ball was up the other end of the ground.

Gamble added another to his tally in the 15 minute mark of the term as the Saints really took control, winning a heap of the ball in and around the middle of the ground. Steven kicked a poster from directly in front as the game really began to open up in St. Kilda’s favour.

Poor decisions out of the backline and errant kicking by Chaplin allowed Dal Santo to kick another goal from a direct turnover with no pressure upon the Saints.

Hitchcock was subbed on for Rodan, and the Saints missed another set shot at goal that they could have really utilised to display their dominance around the ground on the scoreboard.

Finally some clean ball movement was able to be executed, with Thomas scything the ball to Stewart on the lead following nice pass and lead up from Chad Cornes saw him pass it to Thomas. Unfortunately Stewart’s set shot hit the post.

Finally, Boak was able to earn a free kick inside 50 after it seemed that Schulz would get one, but Boak’s kick was similarly ill-directed.

THREE-QUARTER TIME: 4.4.28 to 12.6.78. Goals: Schulz 2, Gray, Stewart. Possessions: Hartlett 24, Cassisi and Gray 19, Boak 16, Logan 15, K Cornes 14.

The Power started the last term looking like they wanted to play on at all costs - but when you turn it over you get burned, and Gamble had no problem snapping his fourth of the game.

The superior Saints work rate saw Schneider able to run into an open goal under absolutely no pressure., before finally Hitchcock was able to break the Power drought and kick the 5th goal for the game. Goddard answered it immediately.

Some hard work by Gray and then Cassisi fed the ball to Pearce who was able to show some silky smooth moves and drill a goal on his left.

Brilliant football from St. Kilda through the middle of the ground saw DSal Santo mark strongly and go back and kick a long goal in a swirling breeze - it’s the sort of football that can’t help but be admired.

Some tough work by Thomas to cut off a thrust from half-back saw the ball given to Hitchcock, who ran inside 50 and nailed his second for the game.

In a big blow late in the game, Trengove had his arm trod on by Riewoldt, and the damage looked significant, with a big lump on his wrist.

A beautiful kick by Broadbent from a tough angle gave him his first goal for the day, before Milne responded in kind as the game drew to a close.

FINAL SCORE: 8.5.53 to 17.7.109.

Goals: Schulz 2, Hitchcock 2, Gray, Stewart, Pearce, Broadbent. Possessions: Hartlett 32, Gray 26, Cassisi and Logan 25, Boak and K Cornes 21.

Crowd: 16,887