A NEW record AFL attendance in South Australia has seen Port Adelaide return to one of its highest standards of football in a comprehensive four-quarter performance at the Adelaide Oval.

The 103-point win was the club's highest against Carlton - eclipsing the 89-point victory sealed by an eight-goal performance from a young Warren Tredrea back in 1998 at Princes Park - and the Navy Blues' lowest ever score against the Power.

Port Adelaide was clinical and emphatic with its effort and workrate at the Oval in its first Friday night game at home since 2011 to guarantee a home final at the ground in the first week of September.

But more important than securing an advantageous place in September, the win saw the Power return to its top shelf football - something missing since the middle of the season when the Power was able to dismantle opposition with ease from the get-go.

The telling statistic of the night was the Power's ability to boot 10 goals between Carlton's bookend majors, which came in the opening minute of the second term and wasn't followed up until Simon White kicked the Blues' third at the 23-minute mark after half time.

And the exceptional performances of best-on-ground Robbie Gray (four goals, 31 disposals, seven clearances), Justin Westhoff (three goals, 21 disposals, four rebounds), Travis Boak with 27 touches against Carlton's Chris Judd and Matthew Lobbe (28 hitouts) amongst others, bodes well for a Power playing list that is now at full-strength.

The result could have been even more in the Power's favour had it not been for a continuous peppering of the goals throughout the night.

Now the Power is in a position to push the flying Fremantle Dockers at Patersons Stadium with an important return to form.

On a night where Port Adelaide commemorated the centenary of its Championship of Australia victory over the Navy Blues in October 1914, the club emulated its forebears' performance with a masterclass.

Despite kicking to even or disadvantaged contests inside 50 early in the opening term, the Power broke the Blues' backs early by using the width of the ground to produce its best running game and draw Carlton's midfield out of position.

That freed up full forward Jay Schulz twice for goal, and spill the ball to Robbie Gray to convert just as often.

The four goals between the Power's exciting strikers was crucial to the home side opening a 28-point lead at the first change, but four missed shots on goal saw the margin far short of where it should have been.

Port's dominance was clear from the earliest stages of the game, despite Carlton working hard to put the ball inside its own forward 50.

The Power's juggernaut rolled on with nine more entries inside 50 and seven more tackles.

The pressure exhibited by an unrelenting Power midfield and defensive unit was evident early and was crucial into forcing turnovers from the Blues.

That defensive performance continued into the second term when the Power pushed well ahead on the scoreboard thanks to its persistency at stoppages and ability to maintain possession at crticial points.

Not unlike its performance against Gold Coast last Saturday, the Power's penetration inside attacking 50 was regular enough to stretch Carlton's defence and provide plenty of strong marking opportunities.

Coupled with fast rebound out of defensive 50, it was a Power of old that controlled the play and established a barricade across the centre to launch volleys back into its offensive half when the Blues tried to push forward.

The loss of Blues captain Marc Murphy 16 minutes into the term after a sickening collision with Cameron O'Shea saw the stretcher called to take the concussed skipper from the ground.

From the extended break forced by the exit of Murphy, the Power proceeded to complete a seven-goal-to-one term after half time and seal the result early in the game.

Despite the eventual victory, the Power's result was almost soured by the late exit from the game of Justin Westhoff who fell awkwardly while trying to execute a tackle late in the game, and Jay Schulz who suffered a head knock of his own during the marking contest.