PORT ADELAIDE beat Collingwood by 16 points at the Gabba on Monday night to win the AFL’s minor premiership for the first time since 2004.

The Magpies went toe to toe with Port all the way but a three-goal burst in the third quarter was enough to separate the sides.

Here are some key things we learned from the game.

1) If Port kicks 50 points it wins.

Port Adelaide has lost three games in 2020. In each of those matches it was held to under 50 points. Against Brisbane it was held to 48, in the loss to St Kilda it was 44 and most recently against Geelong it was just 31. Its lowest winning score this year has been 55 points in a comfortable – if low scoring – win over the Western Bulldogs. Once it ticked over 50 points last night, it seems the result was a given.

2) Not just Dixon

Last week Port had its highest number of individual goal scorers with ten. It was seven against Collingwood with Steven Motlop and Brad Ebert booting two each. With the second-best attack and best defence in the competition, Port Adelaide has shown it is not reliant on Charlie Dixon to help it kick a score. He might have been quiet against the Pies by his lofty standards but big Charles still managed a highlight, sharking Brodie Grundy’s ruck tap before kicking a classy goal.

3) Pipped at the post again

The last time Port Adelaide won the McClelland Trophy as the AFL’s minor premier was in 2004 – a year that yielded the club’s first and only AFL premiership so far. In that year Brisbane held top spot leading into the last day of the season but Port won its last game to steal it back. Sound familiar? Port’s win over Collingwood and superior percentage did the job in 2020. Brisbane is still yet to finish top at the end of the season while Port is now the only club to win four McClelland Trophies since the turn of the century, adding 2020 to the trophies it won in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

4) Squads win premierships

Port Adelaide coach said at the start of the season that squads win premierships. While he can be pleased with his side’s resilience in the most unusual of seasons, commentators have been quick to point out that Port has used just 30 players in 2020 – the fewest of any club. Whether that is by good management or purely good luck, the statistic is true. The next best team is Gold Coast, which has used 31. Of the other finalists, Richmond has used 33, Geelong and St Kilda 34, West Coast and Brisbane 36 each and the Bulldogs and Collingwood have used 40. But stats guru @sirswampthing on Twitter pointed out that only seven of Port Adelaide’s players played every game in 2020. Gold Coast had ten players achieve that.

5) Wire to wire at the top

Port’s remarkable season is not done yet but Ken Hinkley gave his side an opportunity to celebrate its achievement of finishing top and being top all season after the win over the Pies. Not since 2000 has a side sat top all year. In that year, Essendon not only did that, but also won the Premiership. Let’s hope for Port’s sake that’s a good omen. And it’s been done a few times before that. Fox Sports reporter Max Laughton was quick off the mark with the stat on Monday night.

6) (A Bonus learning) Coincidences?

There have been some absolutely cracking stats being shared around at the moment. If you see more please share them with us on Twitter @PAFC. Here are a selection of our favourites:

This one has been shared around a fair bit again lately: