CAN THE real Port Adelaide please stand up?

For the first three quarters of Saturday night's Showdown 46, the Power were a shadow of what they have preached this season.

The boldness was gone. The willingness to take the game on was non-existent.

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They weren't risk-takers, they were conservative to a fault.

The Power played into the hands of the Crows, who were more than willing to get into a defensive, contested-ball slugfest.

The Crows appeared to have the game in hand at three-quarter time, leading by 38 points and keeping the Power to 3.12 (30).

Tom Lynch's third goal within the first minute of the last term extended that margin to 44 points.

Game. Over.

Or so we thought. 

We've seen enough Showdowns to know that there is always a twist in the tale.

The Power went on a roll, booting five goals in the space of 17 minutes to narrow the margin to just 12 points.

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This was the sort of daring game-play the Power had promised during the off-season.

Tom Rockliff had a huge last quarter, racking up 13 of his 41 disposals.

Dougal Howard booted two goals after being shifted from defence to play as a deep forward, switching with versatile veteran Justin Westhoff.

Howard was a strong presence overhead, bringing the ball to ground for his small forwards to lock the ball in the attacking 50, while he was also able to capitalise when it hit the deck.

But the Power's valiant comeback was too little, too late – Crows co-captain Taylor Walker sealing the result with a skipper's goal.

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The Power have been a tease this season.

They have on occasions demonstrated they can compete with the best, as was the case with their brilliant win against reigning premiers West Coast in Perth.

However, in the past fortnight, their weaknesses have come to the fore in back-to-back losses to Collingwood and the Crows.

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The Power are now 4-4 for the season, leaving them back in the pack with the sides contending for the finals.

Their forward line is a massive issue.

Key forwards Todd Marshall, Paddy Ryder and Westhoff didn't kick a goal, with Howard and midfielder Sam Powell-Pepper – who spent a lot of time up forward – their only multiple goalkickers with two.

Injuries have hit the Power hard, leaving them without Robbie Gray, Charlie Dixon, Ollie Wines, Ebert, Tom Jonas, Hamish Hartlett and Jack Watts.

However, they must discover a way to translate their last-quarter form to a consistent four-quarter performance before their season slips away.