PORT Adelaide have suffered their fifth straight defeat in falling to the Sydney Swans by 38 points at AAMI Stadium.

The Swans trailed by four points after a tight opening term, but broke the game wide open in the second quarter.

The visitors piled on seven goals to the Power’s one in a dominant display to lead by 30 points at the main change.

Port Adelaide closed to be within 19 points at three-quarter time, but a goal to Brett Kirk at the start of the final term helped secure a valuable win for the Swans 14.9 (93) to 8.7 (55).

The Power failed to find a multiple goalkicker in their misfiring forward line.

Tough nuts Dom Cassisi (17 disposals and three clearances), Matt Thomas (16 possessions and a goal), Kane Cornes (32 disposals) and Jacob Surjan tried hard for the home side.

Promising young midfielder Hamish Hartlett also showed glimpses of brilliance with 10 possessions and a goal in the first quarter.

Port Adelaide’s fifth-straight loss was compounded by injuries to midfielder Steve Salopek and forward Brett Ebert.

Salopek left the field late in the third term and didn’t re-emerge after his troublesome shoulder popped out of its socket. Ebert played out the game, but was hampered by an ankle complaint.

The win gives the Swans breathing space in the top heading into the mid-season break, while the Power could drop as low as 13th at the end of the round.

Port Adelaide   4.0  6.2  8.5  8.7  (55)
Sydney Swans  3.2  10.4  11.6  14.9  (93)
 
GOALS
Port Adelaide: K.Cornes, Trengove, Hartlett, Hitchcock, Boak, Davenport, Ebert, Thomas
Sydney Swans: Goodes 3, Bolton 2, Hannebery 2, Kennedy 2, McVeigh, Malceski, McGlynn, Jack, Kirk
 
BEST
Port Adelaide:  K. Cornes, Cassisi, Surjan, Hartlett.
Sydney Swans:  Malceski, Jack, Bolton, Goodes, Mumford, Hannebery
 
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Salopek (shoulder), Ebert (ankle), C Cornes (concussion), Hartlett (corked quad), Trengove (corked hip), Surjan (corked knee)
Sydney Swans: Hannebery (shoulder)
 
Reports: Nil
 
Umpires: Ryan, Jeffery, Mollison
 
Official crowd: 20,106 at AAMI Stadium

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs