POWER STORMS HOME

PORT Adelaide’s day started with a 5am alarm and when the going got tough in the second half against GWS the Power found a way to fight off fatigue and any nagging doubts that they are a top-four team and put them to bed.

One loss to Brisbane was all it took for some to question the Power’s premiership credentials last week, but they responded by beating the Giants for the first time since 2015 — prompting even coach Ken Hinkley to celebrate his AFL life membership in the middle of the circle for the team song.

A 5.30am meeting at the club for a pre-dawn flight to the Gold Coast looked like catching up with them after halftime, but they powered away with a dominant final quarter to win by 17 points.

In a spiteful game that started with Brad Ebert being reported for his bump on Harry Perryman and continued with Shane Mumford’s rough-house tactics on Scott Lycett in the ruck and Aidan Corr pushing Todd Marshall’s face into the ground, the Power won where it mattered — the scoreboard.

Dan Houston and Sam Powell-Pepper starred in the midfield and Kane Farrell in front of goal. Powell-Pepper was best with 22 disposals and he stood up in the last quarter with a crucial smother and goal. With Tom Rockliff dropped and Ryan Burton back in defence, Houston got more midfield minutes and relished them with 16 disposals in

REECE HOMFRAY

the first half and he finished with 22 for the day, while Farrell played arguably his best game for the club with 19 disposals, terrific forward-line pressure and a trademark long goal in the last term.

The only concern for the Power was its lack of forward connection in the first three quarters which made life for Charlie Dixon difficult.

It took a team effort to slow Toby Greene in the first half as he looked to celebrate his 150th game with a win.

Tom Jonas, Hamish Hartlett, Cam Sutcliffe and Darcy Byrne-Jones all spent time on him, but true to his class he found a way into the contest and helped spark the Giants’ comeback.