Port Adelaide has cemented themselves as premiership contenders in 2018 following a strong 23-point win against flag fancies, Sydney, at the SCG.
After easily accounting for Fremantle at Adelaide Oval last week, Port Adelaide passed their first genuine test of the season with flying colours as they outworked and outclassed the Swans on their home deck.
In a clash of two of the competition's strongest sides, it was a fast start at the SCG with the contest proving to be very hot early.
Jared Polec would get proceedings underway with a quick snap from a forward 50 stoppage putting the Power on the board.
But the Swans soon kicked into gear, managing to get on top in the midfield and subsequently pile on two goals through superstars Luke Parker and Lance Franklin to give themselves a handy eight-point buffer at the first change.
Sydney kicked off the second term at their brutal best, with some excellent lead-up play resulting in a classy Will Hayward finish just 17 seconds into the quarter.
With the star-studded Swans operating at all cylinders, Ollie Wines helped stop their momentum with an excellent major, as the Power slowly began to creep back into the contest.
Another goal to Franklin would again put the Swans in an prime position going forward, temporarily repelling the Power press.
With Callum Sinclair taking full advantage of Paddy Ryder’s absence in the ruck, the now-number one ruck for the Swans gave his star midfielders first look at the footy.
In what was a very tense period of game play, missed opportunities to both sides frustrated Ken Hinkley and John Longmire as their sides failed to break away.
Despite Sydney’s dominance at clearances, Port did an excellent job in limiting their ability to hit the scoreboard, resulting in the Swans' manic press being limited to only 4.4 for the term.
After a slow start, young gun Todd Marshall worked his way into the game with a crucial major as the Power began showing their dynamic style of play, cutting the margin down to just seven points.
A pivotal goal from opportunistic small forward Tom Papley would again give Sydney the advantage, before both sides went goal-for-goal in the dying stages of the half.
With a 14-point deficit, the Power came into the second half with a point to prove, as inspirational captain Travis Boak put his mark on the game with consecutive goals to bring his side to within two points.
Expected to respond, the Swans simply could not contain the run of Port Adelaide as young guns Riley Bonner and Darcy Byrne-Jones were integral in setting up the Power from the back half. \
After exchanging goals in the middle stage of the term, Port Adelaide would open the game up as Chad Wingard stamped his authority on the contest after a criminal Dane Rampe mistake, before Marshall showed his potential with two crunch goals.
A late goal from a free kick for Robbie Gray gave Port Adelaide a handy 15-point lead going into the last quarter, but Sydney weren't done yet.
With the game set to go down to the wire, the Swans would again respond to the Power challenge as Lance Franklin showed his class with a snap from the boundary before setting up Dean Towers minutes later to cut the margin to four points with 20 minutes to play.
Having all the momentum and a home crowd willing them on, the Swans looked to set overrun the gallant Power.
But a long goal by Polec following a 50m penalty would restore Port’s advantage to ten points as they began to get back on top around the contest in the final term.
Polec's goal sparked a destructive period of football by the rising Power side, as goals to Sam Powell-Pepper and a long bomb by Bonner took the life out of the deflated Swans.
Port would not let up in the final minutes of the game, as they ground out any hope of a Sydney comeback to run away with a comprehensive 23-point win on the road at the SCG.
Sitting on top of the ladder with an excellent percentage, Port Adelaide will look to continue their form with a win against Brisbane at the Adelaide Oval, while Sydney will look to bounce back in a Saturday night thriller against hometown rivals Greater Western Sydney at the SCG.
SYDNEY 2.4 6.6 8.10 10.11 (71) \
PORT ADELAIDE 1.2 4.4 11.7 14.10 (94)
GOALS
Sydney: Franklin 4, Hayward, Papley, Heeney, Towers, Cunningham, Parker
Port Adelaide: Marshall 3, Wingard 2, Polec 2, Boak 2, Powell-Pepper, Motlop, Gray, Wines, Bonner
BEST
Sydney: Kennedy, Franklin, McVeigh, Parker, Florent
Port Adelaide: Wines, Boak, Gray, Westhoff, Polec, Byrne-Jones
INJURIES
Sydney: Nil
Port Adelaide: Nil
TALKING POINTS
1. PORT ARE THE REAL DEAL
After a relatively solid 2017 season, the main criticism surrounding this Port Adelaide team was their inability to beat top-eight sides.
This seems to have changed however, as just two weeks into the season they have knocked off one of the flag fancies on their home deck.
With a host of class additions and a solid game plan, Port were irresistible at the SCG with their run and class was too much for the Swans juggernaut.
Now sitting at 2-0, the Power have a host of winnable games coming up as they look to entrench themselves at the top end of the ladder.
2. BUDDY LOOKS AS GOOD AS EVER
Entering his 14th season, many would thought the best of Lance Franklin would be behind him as he begins the twilight of his storied career.
But just two games into the season, this could not be further from the truth as the superstar Swan piled on another four goals in the loss to Port Adelaide.
With a bigger frame, Franklin has adapted his game perfectly to the confines of the SCG as he bullies defenders in the contest and gets up the ground to provide scoring opportunities for his teammates.
Now sitting at a tally of 12 goals for the season, Buddy looks as good a chance as any to win yet another Coleman medal and solidify himself as one of the game's greatest forwards.
3. OLLIE WINES LOOKS TO BE TAKING HIS GAME TO ANOTHER LEVEL
When the topic of the best young players in the competition is brought up, the name Ollie Wines is often overlooked as people focus on the likes of Marcus Bontempelli, Joe Daniher, Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca.
However, what the 23-year-old Power midfielder has been able to do over his career thus far has been crucial to the revival of the Port Adelaide Football Club.
Now in his sixth season, Wines looks to set to take his game to a new level in 2018 following 35 disposals and a goal against Sydney.
With Port Adelaide looking to push for their first premiership since 2004, Wines will be pivotal to their hopes as he develops into a genuine A-grader.
4. SYDNEY'S DEPTH IS A WORRY
After a gritty win out west in round one against the Eagles, things looked swell for the Swans going into the 2018 season.
However, after facing their first genuine test of the season in the form of Port Adelaide, questions must be asked regarding the depth of their line-up.
Although headlined by a star-studded midfielder, solid defenders and Lance Franklin up forward, it is the Swans' bottom-six players which have been a concern of late.
With the competition as even as ever, the Swans need a lift out of the likes of Will Hayward, Dean Towers, Gary Rohan, Lewis Melican, Robbie Fox and George Hewett in the coming weeks.
The Swans' stars can't do it alone, and they'll need support from their lower-tiered players if they are going to seriously be in premiership contention this season.
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