PORT ADELAIDE beat North Melbourne by 36 points at Metricon Stadium on Saturday night to ensure it remains at the top of the AFL ladder for another week.

The Kangaroos started brightly but Port controlled the game thanks to a couple of bursts of goals, and enjoyed a comfortable win.

Here are some key things we learned from the game.

1) Ken brings up 100

Saturday night’s win was the 100^th as Port Adelaide coach for Ken Hinkley. It makes him just the second person to reach the milestone for the club in the AFL behind 2004 Premiership coach Mark Williams. Hinkley has now won 97 home and away season games and three finals from 170 games coached – that’s a winning percentage of 58.82%. Williams finished his time with a winning percentage of 55.31%. Hinkley is the eighth current coach to reach 100 wins. Only Alastair Clarkson, Damien Hardwick and Adam Simpson have better winning percentages. All Hinkley needs now is a premiership.

Milestone side note: Dynamic forward Steven Motlop also slotted his 200th career AFL goal after his brilliant tackle and set shot in the first quarter that gave his side a lead they would not relinquish.

2) Port’s midfield magic.

“When we play well, they usually give us a good look at it.”

Those were the words of Ken Hinkley after the game and he was referring to his midfield. When the side has lost this season, Port’s midfield has been beaten. There was no danger of that on Saturday night. Travis Boak led all comers with 34 possessions, nine clearances, eight score involvements and a goal. Tom Rockliff chipped in with 30 disposals, three clearances and nine tackles while Ollie Wines had 30 touches, seven clearances and two goals. They’re some handy numbers in a game played with shortened quarters.

3) Bursts of brilliance.

It was not a polished four-quarter performance by any means but Port showed how damaging it can be on the scoreboard if it builds some momentum. In the first quarter it was four goals in-a-row and in the third It was five in-a-row. The third quarter burst included three goals in three minutes including two straight out of the centre (to Boak and Wines). Ken Hinkley said other sides would be “a little concerned” about what his side is capable of.

4) Lycett’s long memory

In Round 22, 2019, North Melbourne ended Port Adelaide’s finals hopes with an 86-point demolition at Marvel Stadium. Ruckman Todd Goldstein was absolutely dominant against the tandem combo of Peter Ladhams and Paddy Ryder. He finished with 34 disposals, 28 hit-outs and nine clearances to go with a goal. While he was not playing in that game Scott Lycett was not about to let that happen agan.

This time big Scooter gave Port first look with a massive effort against Goldstein, who became just the second ruckman in VFL/AFL history to reach 7000 hit-outs during Saturday night’s game. Lycett won 27 hit-outs to 23, 12 disposals to nine and five clearances to two, to take the ruck honours on the night and play an enormous role in his side winning the clearances 38 - 23 (15 -3 from the centre).

5) Port marching (and celebrating) to the beat of its own drum

It was an unusual sight but then, what is normal in 2020? Port Adelaide vice-captain Hamish Hartlett pulled out a drum and bashed away as the players sang the song in the rooms after winning the game. It was a different way of celebrating and that was exactly what the club was looking for, according to coach Ken Hinkley. He revealed it was the doing of development coach Tyson Goldsack. “It was (development coach) Tyson Goldsack’s little play to bring a bit more excitement to the after match,” he said. “We’ve been really strong on making sure you celebrate the right moments and I thought that was a moment tonight that we should celebrate. Let’s hope we get to use it a lot through the next six weeks or whatever it is, we’re looking forward to being able to do it more often.”