IT WASN’T pretty on the eye, but Port Adelaide did enough to secure an important 21-point victory over North Melbourne at Adelaide Oval.

In a game which lacked flow, thanks in part to a heavy free-kick count (37-33 in favour of Port Adelaide), Josh Carr’s men ground their way to a 10.13 (73) to 7.10 (52) win.

POWER v KANGAROOS Full match coverage and stats

With scores level at three-quarter time, the Power kicked the only three goals of the final term to extend North Melbourne’s miserable Adelaide Oval record.

The first term in particular was played in stark contrast to the intensity of Port Adelaide’s emphatic Showdown win last weekend, as both sides found scoring a real chore. 

The game opened up in the second term as the Power flicked into action on the scoreboard, courtesy of key targets Mitch Georgiades and Jack Whitlock.

Stat-less in the first term, Whitlock responded well by booting two goals in quick succession to give the home side the scoreboard advantage. 

Despite coming off their first three-game winning streak since 2019, North Melbourne lacked the early energy you’d expect from a team looking to end their Adelaide Oval hoodoo.

And after Georgiades nailed his third early in the second term, the visitors were crying out for a response.

They soon found it as two goals in quick succession to Jack Darling and Harry Sheezel triggered a run of five ‘Roos majors.

Among the best players on the field from start to finish, Luke Davies-Uniacke added a team-lifting goal with a classy shrug-and-snap.

McKercher was next to get in on the act as he dribbled one home and Darling added a second as North’s kick-mark approach finally began to result in scores, but it proved to be their final goal of the contest.

Usual suspects Zac Butters (26 disposals and seven score involvements) and Jason Horne-Francis (24 disposals and nine clearances) were standouts, along with defender Darcy Byrne-Jones (24 disposals and seven intercept possessions). 

Sheezel (40 disposals) had the ball on a string, but Davies-Uniacke (31 disposals and seven score involvements) did the most damage for North. 

Both sides will now turn their attention to Marvel Stadium, where North Melbourne take on Collingwood, and Port Adelaide play St Kilda.

New free kick record
Records were broken on Sunday evening at Adelaide Oval, but it wasn’t quite what neutral viewers would’ve wanted. No less than 71 free-kicks were awarded during the Power’s victory, narrowly eclipsing the 69 which were awarded in the Round 2 2008 clash between Sydney and Port Adelaide. Some were clearly there, while others were more dubious. Either way, it made for a very frustrating, stop-start contest to end the round.

Harvey’s goal-line blunder
The Kangaroos were left frustrated when Cooper Harvey was penalised for a deliberate rushed behind, leading to the easiest of Power goals. Harvey stood on the last line of defence and invited Mitch Georgiades to pressure him before stepping back across the goal-line in a move deemed deliberate by the adjudicating umpire. It was an otherwise strong performance from the North Melbourne son-of-a-gun, who finished with 25 disposals and an equal game-high nine intercept possessions.

McKercher mowed down 
In a match with limited highlights, it was a run-down tackle which brought about the loudest roar from the Port Adelaide faithful. With the game evenly poised, North speedster Colby McKercher embarked on a searching run through the middle of the oval, only to be brought down by the combination of Lachie Jones and Logan Evans. It sparked the crowd into life and revved up the Power too as they went on to kick the final three goals of the game to claim victory.

PORT ADELAIDE                  1.3     2.5   7.9    10.13  (73)
NORTH MELBOURNE           1.3     5.6   7.9     7.10   (52)

GOALS
Port Adelaide: Whitlock 3, Georgiades 3, Sweet, Mead, Horne-Francis, Durdin
North Melbourne: Darling 2, Simpkin, Sheezel, McKercher, Larkey, Davies-Uniacke

BEST 
Port Adelaide: Horne-Francis, Butters, Byrne-Jones, Georgiades, Burgoyne, Sweet, Lai 
North Melbourne: Davies-Uniacke, Parker, Sheezel, Comben, McKercher, Harvey

INJURIES 
Port Adelaide: Nil
North Melbourne: Wardlaw (Hamstring) 

LATE CHANGES 
Port Adelaide: Nil 
North Melbourne: Nil

Crowd: 33,105 at Adelaide Oval