PORT ADELAIDE enjoyed a strong return to football with a 75-point win over Adelaide in Showdown 48.

84 days after the Round 1 win over Gold Coast, Port ensured it remained unbeaten in 2020 with a comfortable win over its biggest AFL rival.

Here are some key things we learned from the game at Adelaide Oval.

1. Records tumble.

Forget the fact that it was the smallest Showdown crowd with the COVID-19 restrictions limiting attendance to 2240, it was also Port Adelaide’s biggest Showdown win, eclipsing the 65-point win it enjoyed in Round 3, 2001.

Adelaide also managed its lowest score in a Showdown, with its 5.5 (35) less than the 5.14 (44) it scored in the Round 16 Showdown loss to Port last year. For what it is worth, it was also Adelaide’s lowest score in Adelaide. Its previous worst was 5.12 (42) in the 2012 Qualifying Final against Sydney, but not quite as low as its lowest score - the 3.6 (24) it mustered against St Kilda at Docklands in Rd 18 2011.

2. Motlop can jump.

We became accustomed to Daniel Motlop performing aerial feats and taking some absolute hangers in the Port Adelaide guernsey but, in his time with the club, younger brother Steven Motlop has done his best work on the ground. On Saturday night, his big grab over Crow Paul Seedsman showed he has some skill in the air as well.

It isn’t the first time Steven Motlop has taken a mark of the year contender. While playing for Geelong in 2013, he took this huge pack grab in the Round 22 game against Sydney.

3. Percentage boosted

Port Adelaide went into the game with one win from one game and a league leading percentage of 262.1%. It finished the round with 290.6% and still top of the ladder, with fourth placed Collingwood the having the next best percentage of 174.3%.

History and stats guru @sirswampthing on Twitter pointed out that Port Adelaide becomes just the third team in V/AFL history to boost its percentage having come into the game with a percentage above 250% - and the first in 116 years.

4. Prison bar lockdown

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley pointed out that his side was undefeated in his tenure while wearing the club’s iconic prison bar guernsey. “Undefeated. We’ll wear it every week,” he said. And he was right. The last and only time Port has worn the revered guernsey was in the 2014 Elimination Final win over Richmond when an eight goal to one first term all but sealed a memorable 57-point win. That time the guernsey was worn because Richmond didn’t have an alternate clash strip.

Saturday night’s Showdown win made it two from two, although in much different circumstances. After giving up the first two goals, Port roared home with 17 of the next 20 goals to seal an equally memorable 75-point result. If the club has its way, it’ll wear the guernsey in each and every Showdown going forward with a formal application to go to the AFL soon.  

5. The young boys are good

We’ve said it before but let’s point it out again… the young boys can play! Connor Rozee and Xavier Duursma were among the contenders for the Showdown Medal, missing out by one vote each to veteran Travis Boak. Rozee and Duursma each had 17 disposals while Rozee added six tackles and a career high eight clearances (his previous best was two against both West Coast in Round 5 and Fremantle in Round 23 last season). Duursma also slotted three goals.

But it’s not just those two. Port Adelaide’s side featured 10 players aged 24 or under and all played their part. Among the standouts along with Rozee and Duursma were Zak Butters, Darcy Byrne-Jones and Todd Marshall but Dan Houston, Sam Powell-Pepper, Riley Bonner, Karl Amon and Ryan Burton each played their part.

And why would you not get excited when you have young players showing instinct and impacting the game?