PORT Adelaide stunned a North Melbourne side that had everything to play for at the MCG, coming away with a superb 76-point victory.

Going into the game North needed victory to cement the coveted fourth place and a double chance, but Port’s 23.10 (148) to 10.12 (72) win was totally comprehensive.

Port constantly scored goals from stoppages and North was powerless to staunch the flow created by the brilliant Peter Burgoyne (45 possessions) with strong support from Kane Cornes, Danyle Pearce and Tom Logan.

It was a result that seemed unimaginable when North skipped away to an early 19-point lead, but Port gained a foothold late in the first quarter, built a foundation in the second and then charged away with the game in the third term.

Early in the game Port could not cope with the pressure and tackling of North and they were dominated in every aspect of the game as the Roos moved the ball precisely through the corridor.

North had a tall forward set up featuring David Hale and Drew Petrie which Port could not combat.

The Power had 11 clangers to the Roos’ five in the first 10 minutes, but ironically the first Port goal came when Shannon Watt’s wonky clearing kick landed in Peter Burgoyne’s arms and he made no mistake from 30m.

At this stage the Port attack lacked structure and method. Too often the road to goal was via a circuitous path around the boundary line. The Westhoff brothers were unable to present as marking targets and North was able to spirit the ball away.

North eased off in their approach to the ball and suddenly their passing efficiency evaporated. The Power now had a sniff and with Peter Burgoyne finding a lot of the ball they turned the situation around as North started to misuse the ball.

A Petrie turnover started a chain of passes that ended with Robbie Gray firing a wonderful checkside goal then following up with another two minutes later to cut the gap to five points.

On a day that had opened in such carefree manner for North, things suddenly began to turn sour. Daniel Motlop’s calm goal kept Port Adelaide ticking, then David Rodan followed up with another and Pearce levelled the score 11 minutes into the term.

Port’s tenacity surprised North, who did not look switched in for the contest.

Daniel Wells, who had been well beaten by Kane Cornes, shuffled off with an apparent ankle injury and joined Leigh Harding on the bench after Harding had looked to have re-injured his knee early.

North’s ball-carriers had been free to do as they liked early, but Pearce, Peter Burgoyne and Logan had seized the initiative.

North was playing lacklustre football and Port was making every post a winner.

The lack of awareness by North saw Brendon Lade strolling back for a set shot then firing a handball to an unmarked Rodan for a goal. Then Domenic Cassisi scored two goals and the Power had a chance for another, but Brett Ebert shanked a shot following a brilliant mark.

Port was still able to go to half time with an 18-point lead.

The Power attacked at the start of the third term only to see Cassisi’s bullet like pass bounce off Motlop’s chest and rebound to the other end for a goal to Hale.

The two-goal turnaround at such a critical stage could have been disastrous for the Power but the effervescent Rodan bagged two goals then Daniel Motlop followed up with another to create a 29-point advantage.

While a groggy Damon White was being assisted from the ground, Toby Thurstans drifted forward and scored. Port had kicked 10 of the past 12 goals and when Lade scored another the coffin lid was nailed down.

North was in disarray as Gray, Daniel Motlop and Thurstans added goals to balloon the gap to 58 points. Despite a long three-quarter time diatribe delivered by North coach Dean Laidley the game did not alter its course in the final term.