PORT Adelaide has rebounded from a searching week to show its best footy can be blistering in disposing of Essendon by 61 points at Adelaide Oval.
Just six days after being embarrassed by crosstown rival Adelaide in the Showdown and having their top-eight credentials questioned, the Power cleared out to a big first-half lead before cruising to a 17.10 (112) to 7.9 (51) victory.
The Power's detractors will prefer to see them pass sterner tests before declaring them back in form, but importantly for Ken Hinkley's men several players who had been down of late returned to form.
Jared Polec, publicly criticised by his coach after his Showdown shocker, was instrumental in two first-half goals before kicking his own second-quarter bomb from beyond 55m.
Jimmy Toumpas (a career-high 28 touches) racked up 18 first-half disposals en route to perhaps his best career performance, while ball-winners Travis Boak (22 disposals and a goal) and Ollie Wines (25 and one) were both back in the form fans expect.
Usual suspect Robbie Gray was again brilliant with 30 possessions (22 contested) and two goals, receiving some good service form an improved Matthew Lobbe.
Bombers coach John Worsfold threw some men behind the ball in the late stages of the first half and was able to prevent a complete blow-out, as his undermanned side battled hard all night against a better, more physical opponent.
David Zaharakis finished with 27 disposals for the Bombers, 11 of them contested, and Zach Merrett (28 touches, eight tackles) continued to put together an outstanding start to the season, but the Bombers' intensity was a step or two below their efforts in the previous week's memorable win over Melbourne.
Perhaps most pleasingly for Hinkley, Port’s heavily criticised defensive structure held up well.
The Power conceded an average of 122 points in the opening two rounds but its press worked against the Bombers, holding the visitors to seven goals.
Port had clearly been read the riot act during the week and improved to 2-1 on the back of a ferocious attack on the ball.
Its intent was best summed up by a head clash between debutant Darcy Byrne-Jones and teammate Sam Gray during the third term as both players made a bee-line for the ball.
MEDICAL ROOM
Paul Stewart gave Power fans a scare when he had to be helped from the ground by two trainers after appearing to roll his ankle during a spoiling attempt in the third term. But he later returned to the ground, alleviating fears of serious damage.
NEXT UP
Is Port Adelaide back? We'll get a better idea when they travel to Sydney to take on the hard contested ball winning Giants next Sunday. The Bombers face another monumental challenge against Geelong at the MCG next Saturday.
PORT ADELAIDE 7.3 11.5 14.8 17.10 (112)
ESSENDON 1.4 4.6 4.7 7.9 (51)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Young 3, Dixon 3, Amon 2, R Gray 2, Westhoff 2, Boak, Ebert, Polec, Byrne-Jones, Wines
Essendon: Daniher 2, Kommer 2, Ambrose, Goddard, J Merrett
BEST
Port Adelaide: Gray, Polec, Broadbent, Pittard, Boak, Wines
Essendon: Leuenberger, Zaharakis, Z Merrett, Goddard, Kelly
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Nil
Essendon: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Fisher, Stephens, Pannell
Official crowd: 44,601 at Adelaide Oval
