PORT Adelaide ruckman Dean Brogan went out with a point to prove against Melbourne at AAMI Stadium on Sunday.

Brogan, 30, missed last week’s game against West Coast at Subiaco after being suspended for bumping into Essendon’s Andrew Lovett at the quarter-time break in the round-one clash between the two sides.

The Power suffered a dismal 50-point loss to West Coast the following week and Brogan, who watched helplessly from the sidelines, said he felt partially responsible for the result.

“Either way you look at it, I missed a game and let the team down. Whether I was hard done by or not, the fact is I missed a game and we got belted,” Brogan said after the game.

“I thought, maybe, I could’ve contributed last week, but I wasn’t there. I wanted to come out and make a statement today. I think the boys and myself did that”.
 
The Power responded to their sub-par performance in the west with three quick goals in the opening term to set up the 57-point win.

Melbourne stayed in the contest until partway through the second term, but six unanswered goals either side of the half-time siren gave the Power a match winning lead.

The Port Adelaide players look to Brogan to set the tone at the centre bounce and the fiery big man didn’t disappoint on Sunday.

The premiership ruckman finished with 17 possessions, seven marks and 21 hit-outs.

Brogan and partner in crime, Brendon Lade, also chimed in with two goals.

“We’ve got to try and push forward to keep their other ruckman honest,” Brogan said.

“I missed an easy shot on goal, but I set up ‘Ladey’ in another. It’s good to have a hand in a couple of goals.

“You can’t just be a tap ruckman, you’ve got to push forward and do things.”

Brogan was also full of praise for former skipper Warren Tredrea’s six-goal performance.

“Tredders’ has had a lot of pressure on him…you pick up the paper today and there’s a two-page story on him,” Brogan said.

“The knives have been out, but for him to come out and do that today was fantastic. I’m just rapt for him. He’s a champion player and that’s what champions do- they respond.”