PORT ADELAIDE coach Ken Hinkley has praised his backline and singled out Tom Clurey for his shutdown job on Adelaide forward Taylor Walker in the Power’s 49-point win in Showdown XLIX.

Walker was kept to just six disposals, two marks and no goals in a dominant showing by Port Adelaide in front of 43,069 fans at an Adelaide Oval returning to full capacity for the first time since 2019.

Clurey finished second in the Showdown Medal voting, behind midfielder Travis Boak who won his third Showdown Medal after his 28-disposal and six-clearance game.

But it was the defence which Hinkley singled out, having limited the Crows to just 5.8 (38)

“I thought they were outstanding,” the Port coach said in his post-match press conference.

“I thought Trav got the medal but Tom Clurey was equally as good a player out there.

“We probably had three or four that could have but I thought Tom’s performance on an in-form player in Tex (Walker), he really did own that contest.

“I thought Aliir was solid particularly early and Jonas plays good footy week in-week out. The backline was strong but they get great support from all other parts on the ground.”

In greasy conditions the Power ground out a strong victory over the Crows, bouncing back from last week's defeat to Brisbane with a particularly strong response in the clearances and contest – areas singled out as deficient by Hinkley last week.

Boak, Ollie Wines (24 disposals), Robbie Gray (26) and Karl Amon (27) led the way in the midfield battle.

Despite leaving the field early with a knee injury, Boak returned to the field to be deemed the game’s best player by the medal judges.

Hinkley said the 32-year-old had been a champion of the club and showed no signs of slowing down.

“Trav’s a long way from done, I think he’s planning on playing his 400^th, not just his 300^th,” Hinkley smiled.

“I came here nearly nine years ago and made him captain and every time I’ve asked him to be the player he’s done it, and that’s all you can mark people by.

“When you need him, he’s there. He’s a fantastic person and he’s been equally a great player.”

Hinkley was also smiling about the return of his three-pronged tall forward line with Todd Marshall booting three goals and Charlie Dixon and Mitch Georgiades two each after no goals from any of the trio last week.

“Sorry if I’m smiling but I just love (Todd),” Hinkley said.

“He’s a great young person. He does everything that I ask him to do and the team asks him to do. He’s an incredibly talented young person who gets missed because of the team stuff that he does.

“He’s a really important part of our team and I’m pleased for him and Mitch and Charlie down there, all the boys had an impact.”

Port will be sweating on the fitness of classy defender Dan Houston who was substituted from the game in the third quarter with a shoulder injury after a heavy bump and could be in doubt to face the Western Bulldogs next Saturday night.

Ruckman Scott Lycett, who also had a big game, could come under scrutiny by the Match Review Officer for a strong tackle in the first quarter on young Crow Ned McHenry, that resulted in him being concussed.

“Concussion is the outcome. We don’t want that in the game, we don’t need that in the game,” Hinkley said, admitting he had only seen the incident once.

“Scott will take what comes in that place. I can’t sit here and comment on it too much because it’s not my place to comment on it too much but we’re better off as a competition when we protect the players.

“(What I will say is) his intent was to tackle aggressively.”