The Power led by just 10 points at the main change after a tight first half, but piled on seven goals to the Demons’ three in the third quarter to increase the margin to 36 points at three-quarter time.
The Dees added some respectability on the scoreboard, with three goals in the final term but the damage had already been done and the home side ran out comfortable winners 17.10 (112) to 11.17 (83).
Jay Schulz booted five goals to overtake Brett Ebert as Port Adelaide’s leading goalkicker this season, while Travis Boak and Robbie Gray each finished with three.
Captain Dom Cassisi (27 possessions), Danyle Pearce (20 possessions and eight inside 50s) and David Rodan (15 possessions and eight clearances) worked hard in the midfield, while Alipate Carlile was steadfast in defence.
Enigmatic forward Liam Jurrah did his best to ignite the visitors, kicking four goals and hauling in one of the marks of the season.
St Kilda utility Brendon Goddard appeared to have claimed mark of the year, with his big grab against Richmond at Etihad Stadium on Saturday, but Jurrah may have snatched the prize.
Cameron Bruce (39 disposals) escaped Kane Cornes’ grasp, while retiring skipper James McDonald picked up 27 touches and laid 10 tackles in his 250th game.
The only sour note to Port Adelaide’s win was a serious knee injury to Ebert in the first term.
Ebert was able to get to his feet and run the length of the ground, after colliding with a pack of players in a marking contest but came to the bench a short time later, where doctors tested his anterior cruciate ligament.
After the game, coach Matthew Primus said Ebert would have scans on Monday, which were expected to confirm the 26-year-old had ruptured his ACL.
“The docs are pretty sure Ebo’s done his ACL. Normally, once they do their tests they are 99 per cent sure it’s done," Primus said.
"He’ll probably have it confirmed tomorrow and then we’ll discuss surgery and whether he has the LARS or the old-fashioned reconstruction.
“We’ve had a few other players go through it depends what road he goes down. He’ll be back at some stage next year whether it’s the middle of the year or the end of the year.”
The Demons hadn’t won at AAMI Stadium in nine years heading into Sunday’s clash, but started brightly against Port Adelaide, kicking two of the opening three goals.
The visitors had opportunities to go further ahead on the scoreboard, but couldn’t convert and added another six behinds for the term.
Coach Dean Bailey said the Demons had paid the price for failing to make the most of their early chances.
“I think early on our inability to put scoreboard pressure on was disappointing. While they were kicking goals we were missing them,” Bailey said.
“They took their chances and in the second quarter kicked five-goals straight. You can’t afford to do that when you travel interstate.”
The Power assumed control midway through the term and consecutive goals to Boak and Pearce put the home side two points ahead at the first change.
The wasteful Dees continued to over-possess the ball in the second term, making life difficult for their forwards.
Port Adelaide was much cleaner with its possession, with the likes of Rodan, Boak and Pearce moving the ball quickly to set up four unanswered goals.
Melbourne refused to give in, but failed to get the margin back into single digits and the Power set up the win with a dominant third-quarter performance.
Port Adelaide 3.2 8.2 15.6 17.10 (112)
Melbourne 2.6 5.10 8.11 11.17 (83)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Schulz 5, Boak 3, Gray 3, Pearce, Thomas, Broadbent, Hitchcock, D. Stewart, P. Stewart
Melbourne: Jurrah 4, Wonaeamirri 2, Watts, Dunn, McDonald, Green, Scully
BEST
Port Adelaide: Boak, Cassisi, Pearce, Schulz, Brogan, Gray, Rodan, Carlile
Melbourne: Bruce, McDonald, Jurrah, Morton, Frawley, Scully, Trengove,
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Ebert (knee)
Melbourne: Colin Sylvia (unknown) replaced in selected side by Rohan Bail
Reports: Nil
Umpires: McLaren, Hay, Mollison
Official crowd: 21,086 at AAMI Stadium
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
