Port Adelaide has cruised to a 50-point victory over the Gold Coast Suns, helping themselves to a healthy percentage boost and keeping in touch with the top four.
The Power set the tone early, leading three goals to one at quarter time, before stretching the Suns defence with their running power, emphasised by transformative midfielder Ollie Wines (a career-high 44 disposals).
Port’s defence was impenetrable as the Suns could only manage nine scoring shots from their 45 entries, unable to pass key defenders Tom Jonas and Aliir Aliir.
A medial ligament injury to Robbie Gray in his 250th game was the only sour note of the game.
Apart from tireless leaders Touk Miller (31 disposals, 9 tackles) and Hugh Greenwood (16, 15), the Suns looked unstructured and unsure of themselves.
Jonathan Brown was scathing of their defensive performance at three-quarter time.
“Have a look at the Gold Coast Suns here. Their application, their intensity, their team defence and their want to cut out those options just hasn’t been there all day,” Brown said on Fox Footy.
“This has been really disappointing, I’ve been watching them closely, and yes they’re young, but there’s no excuse for a lack of effort.
“It’s been embarrassing, frankly.”
The Suns face a week of scrutiny and will be looking to respond next Saturday against bottom-placed North Melbourne in Tasmania in what now looks like a nervous meeting for Stewie Dew.
The Power meanwhile take on the Swans at Adelaide Oval, a team who have proven to play strongly away from home in what should be an exciting Saturday night encounter.
FULL SCORE
Port Adelaide: 3.3, 7.5, 11.8, 12.9 (81)
Gold Coast: 1.0, 2.1, 2.4, 4.7 (31)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Rozee 3, Dixon 2, Georgiades 2, Motlop 2, Amon, Lienert, Lycett
Gold Coast: King 2, Bowes, Sexton
BEST
Port Adelaide: Wines, Byrne-Jones, Motlop, Amon, Boak, Rozee, Drew
Gold Coast: Miller, Greenwood, Anderson, Lukosius
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Gray (knee), Jones (hamstring)
Gold Coast: Nil