Port Adelaide has pulled off one of its greatest wins to beat Adelaide by 14 points in a thrilling, bruising 21st showdown at AAMI Stadium on Sunday.

The pacy Power's courageous 14.11 (95) to 11.15 (81) victory was only its eighth this season but, crucially, with the finals just two weeks away, it was the Crows' fourth loss in their past five matches.

And the Crows' woes were compounded by Trent Hentschel and Nathan Bassett having to be taken from the field on stretchers in the third quarter - with injuries that could keep them out of the finals.

Centre half-forward Hentschel injured his right knee after falling awkwardly when tackled from behind by Matt Thomas deep in the right forward pocket at the northern end.

Defender Bassett suffered a facial injury, possibly a fractured cheekbone, in a heavy collision of heads with Brett Ebert late in the third term - soon after Bassett had drifted upfield to mark and goal.

Ben Hart also finished the match on the bench, reputedly with leg soreness.

Adelaide had to replace captain Mark Ricciuto (flu) with Chris Knights before the start, and opened with Ian Perrie at full-forward on Darryl Wakelin, Scott Welsh in a pocket on Matthew Bishop and Hentschel at centre half-forward on Troy Chaplin.

Port also had more than its fair share of injuries, as if it didn't have enough already. Wakelin bowed out of the match halfway through the second quarter after copping a heavy knock in a marking contest, and the Power also lost centre half-forward Damon White (back) in the second term and wingman Tom Logan (corked thigh) late in the third term.

Adelaide dominated the first quarter through a much more even team performance but could not show it on the scoreboard as it registered six successive behinds to be just 18 points clear - 3.8 to 1.2 - at the first change.

With Brendon Lade leading the way in ruck and Danyle Pearce, Steven Salopek, Dom Cassisi and Chad and Kane Cornes prominent around the clearances, Port hit back strongly to score 5.1 in 14 minutes to grab a five-point lead - 6.3 to 4.10 - at the 19-minute mark.

But the Crows replied with late goals to Nathan van Berlo and Matthew Clarke and were nine points in front at half-time - 6.12 to 6.3.

Goals to Tyson Edwards and Matthew Bode - his third - either side of a behind from Toby Thurstans gave Adelaide a 20-point buffer five minutes into the third term, but Port suddenly took over again and powered on 5.1 to 1.1 to lead by four points at the last change - 11.5 to 9.13.

Left-footer Ebert kicked two of the five goals to give him three for the match in another lively, convincing display. He had chances to sink three more goals early in the final term but managed only behinds - three of five Port scored before Stuart Dew soccered its 12th goal at the 15-minute mark for a 13-point lead.

Ebert then set up a goal for Lade with van Berlo replying for Adelaide, but when Cassisi goaled it ensured a Port win.

Adelaide looked an exhausted side at the end when Port players celebrated as if it really had been their grand final, and acting captain Chad Cornes won the Showdown Medal as best afield.

Port coach Mark Williams described it as 'one of the great wins for Port Adelaide - against the odds'.

"We talked about those odds and what people say about you, and the fact that you have to play hurt and sore, and that probably will occur by the end of the game," he said.

"It was a bit of a battle of attrition. They didn't have too many left on the bench and neither did we.

"I thought it was just a brilliant effort to out-run them, and a great credit to (fitness coach) Darren Burgess, with his limited resources. To be able to get us up and running like that at the end of the game was fantastic for him, and well done."

"The way the game went, I thought the Crows actually gave us a chance. They had a lot of shots on goals early and missed, and if you give a side a chance, you're going to get nailed sometime."

Adelaide coach Neil Craig drew positives from the Crows' first-quarter effort, saying: "We saw some footy we liked, particularly in the first quarter, and we saw some other things we didn't like.

"We saw some energy, we saw some intensity, we had 11 scoring shots, some poor conversion, but for the first time in a month we saw that sort of footy that's important to us. Our second quarter wasn't disastrous. Certainly after half-time we were clearly outplayed.

"It's two weeks to go before the finals and it's important we use that (time) the best we possibly can."


PORT ADELAIDE: 1.2, 6.3, 11.5, 14.11 (95)
ADELAIDE: 3.8, 6.12, 9.13, 11.15 (81)

GOALS – Port: Ebert 3, S.Burgoyne 2, Mahoney 2, Lade 2, Cassisi 2, Salopek, Bentley, Dew
Adelaide: Bode 4, van Berlo 2, Welsh, Goodwin, Clarke, Edwards, Bassett
BEST – Port: C.Cornes, Pearce, Ebert, Kingsley, Cassisi, Salopek, Dew
Adelaide: Edwards, Goodwin, McLeod, Doughty, Bode, Shirley
INJURIES – Port: White (back), Wakelin (concussion), Logan (ankle)
Adelaide: Hentschel (dislocated right knee), Bassett (concussion), Hart (Achilles)
CHANGES – Port: Nil
Adelaide: Ricciuto (flu) replaced in selected side by Knights
REPORTS - Nil
UMPIRES - McLaren, Chamberlain, Woodcock
CROWD - 41,549 at AAMI Stadium