THE SYDNEY Swans have subjected the 'Portress' to a Saturday night sacking, thrashing Port Adelaide by 48 points at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night

The Swans grabbed a two-goal quarter-time lead and never looked back, outscoring the Power in each term in the 6.8 (44) to 14.8 (92) win. 

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The Swans were brilliant defensively, pressuring the Power into constant turnovers and dominating the tackle count.

Coach John Longmire said the club's early intensity set the tone for what he described as a difficult win to engineer.

"You prefer to get off to a good sort of start, particularly away (from home) in this sort of environment," Longmire stated.

"To keep such a talented team like Port Adelaide to 44 points on their home ground is not an easy thing to do."

It was a dirty night for the home side, posting its lowest score under coach Ken Hinkley and just its fourth loss at the ground. 

Veteran Jarrad McVeigh (26 possessions, one goal) was at his best after missing the season opener with a calf injury as was contested king Josh Kennedy (36 disposals) and co-captain Kieren Jack (31 possessions).

Forward Lance Franklin (three goals) and the ruck combination of Kurt Tippett (26 hit-outs) and Mike Pyke (28) proved far too strong.

Five talking points: Port Adelaide v Sydney Swans

Jasper Pittard (34 disposals) played one of the most impressive games of his career, Robbie Gray (32) could hold his head high and Patrick Ryder (17 hit-outs, two goals) battled hard.

Tim and Jon Farriss from super group INXS were still on the ground when the game began, having absorbed the 49,765-strong crowd's rendition of their hit and the Power's anthem Never Tear Us Apart. 

The emotion that filled the stadium appeared to impact the start of the game as both sides took time working into the match.

Showreel: Swans defence shuts down the Power

Almost 17 minutes passed before the opening goal was scored – Lewis Jetta snapping cleverly from 35m.

McVeigh was in top form early with 11 first-term disposals and when Jetta nailed his second the Swans had skipped to handy two-goal lead.

The first half of the second term was almost a carbon copy of the first: 10 goalless minutes of intense arm-wrestling until Power ruckman Patrick Ryder banged home his first major for the club from 50m.

Ryder was swamped by his teammates after the long range effort, which was bettered moments later by a classic Lance Franklin set shot bomb.

On-song Swans close to unbeatable, says Hinkley

Port was forced to activate its sub early in the second quarter when Jarman Impey (hamstring) was replaced by Matt White, as the intensity of the contest took its toll with both Matthew Broadbent (ribs) and Robbie Gray (ankle) playing in discomfort.

Through Chad Wingard and Tippett both sides went blow for blow, although the Swans' hit-out dominance offered their midfielders a huge advantage.

Each time Port inched closer, as it did through Justin Westhoff, the Swans responded, this time via a brilliant Daniel Hannebery running goal. 

They had all the answers to enter the second half in a commanding position, which was made even stronger when Jack slotted the first of three unanswered goals.

'You can always be better', says modest Longmire

Jay Schulz missed two that would normally split the middle and the Power inflicted further self-damage with a turnover deep in defence that was picked off by McVeigh for his first major.

Port pushed for momentum in the final term, hopeful of a trademark comeback from 31 points down.

It never came, though, and Franklin rubbed salt into the Power's numerous wounds with a miracle soccer goal from tight in the forward pocket.

Power coach Ken Hinkley said his side was beaten convincingly in every important facet of the game.

"Tackles, contested ball – everyone knows what the key stats are and we got belted in key stats tonight," Hinkley said.

"(We) were outworked by the opposition…not outside, (we) were outworked inside."

Lance Franklin escapes the reach of Port Adelaide's Jack Hombsch. Picture: AFL Media.

PORT ADELAIDE     1.1  4.2   6.5   6.8    (44) 
SYDNEY SWANS     3.1  7.4  11.6  14.8  (92) 

GOALS 
Port Adelaide: Ryder 2, Schulz, Wingard, Westhoff, Monfries
Sydney Swans: Franklin 3, Jetta 2, Hannebery 2, Towers 2, Tippett, Rohan, Jack, Lloyd, McVeigh         

BEST 
Port Adelaide: Gray, Pittard, Carlile, Ryder
Sydney Swans: McVeigh, Kennedy, Franklin, Heeney, Jack, Parker, Smith

INJURIES 
Port Adelaide: Impey (Hamstring)
Sydney Swans: Nil                          

SUBSTITUTES 
Port Adelaide: Matt White replaced Jarman Impey (hamstring) in the second quarter
Sydney Swans: Adam Goodes replaced Gary Rohan in the final quarter

Reports: Nil 

Umpires: Fisher, Nicholls, Mollison 

Official crowd: 49,765 at Adelaide Oval