Port Adelaide 7.4 11.5 14.8 17.10 (112) Essendon 1.4 4.6 4.7 7.9 (51)
GOALS: Port Adelaide: Dixon 4, Young 3, Amon 2, Ebert, White, Westhoff, R. Gray, Boak, R. Gray, Byrne-Jones, Wines. Essendon: Daniher, Kommer 2,Ambrose, Goddard, Merrett.
BEST: Port Adelaide: R. Gray, Broadbent, Pittard, Polec, Wines, Boak. Essendon: Leuenberger, Kelly, Zaharakis, Cooney, Merrett, Daniher.
UMPIRES L. Fisher, A. Stephens, T. Pannell.
CROWD 44,601 at Adelaide Oval.
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Port Adelaide record big win over Essendon
Prized recruit Charlie Dixon leads an early blitz as Port Adelaide hammers Essendon by 61 points.
Adelaide Port Adelaide responded to the hell and brimstone that coach Ken Hinkley delivered pre-match and crushed Essendon's hopes with a dominant seven-goal first quarter. Game all but over.
So intent was Hinkley to inspire his men into something better that he called his players back when they started to run down the race before the game to deliver one final message.
But as much as it was a welcomed response to last week's poor effort against Adelaide, with all their ferocity and charging from the back lines, they weren't entirely convincing. For most part it was a scramble, especially early, with Port gladly seizing on the Bombers' inability to make the ball stick in their hands at first touch and lay the crucial tackles.
Port's 4.1 second quarter should have sealed their fate much earlier, and despite dominating the play in the third when they restricted Essendon to a solitary behind, the Power added only 3.3.
Essendon made Port's recovery process easier than it should have been because their skills simply evaded them as the match progressed, but they weren't punished enough.
This match will be beamed to two million Chinese in coming days, and many will probably switch off after the opening 15 minutes, leaving them wondering what the heck this was all about. There were 15 obvious free-kicks until this stage, netting Port 3.1; grossly inadequate disposals and players running aimlessly.
The qualitative study is difficult to assess, with Port missing Chad Wingard, Hamish Hartlett, Jay Schulz and Alipate Carlile, but then sides are always measured by their depth. And then there are the 12 absent Bombers.
However, as ugly as this game was for most part, the bottom line was that Port did what was required to take a vice-like grip  well before half-time.
Essendon weren't good enough to expose the pressure Port had placed on themselves in the lead-up, and  allowed them to regain some semblance of the find-the-gaps and run style that we expected earlier. Like the other 17 clubs, they're in a work-in-progress mode and will be better for the run. Charlie Dixon was one of the many who lifted, and his workrate was excellent. Melbourne recruit Jimmy Toumpas also relished in the opportunity to work his way into better form.
Overall, Port worked harder compared with the opening rounds. They plugged the gaps and found teammates more often; they didn't defend so far up the ground and were not caught out so badly allowing the opposition to charge freely. As promised, they dared to take the game on from the back lines. There were numerous players who rediscovered their run and fight for the ball, especially Jared Polec, whose run, class and penetrating kicking has been sorely missed.Â
Essendon were beaten well, but not shamed; they didn't lack courage. The decision-making process wasn't always right, and poor execution robbed them of opportunities. Matthew Leuenberger was outstanding in ruck, while Joe Daniher did well against two or three opponents, and his sensational mark over Jasper Pittard midway through the second quarter will sway the Chinese from switching to an old Bruce Lee re-run.
It was surely frustrating for coach John Worsfold to see his team match or clearly beat Port in most areas for the most part including clearances, contested possessions and tackles, only to get hammered with a soul-destroying clear deficit with the inside-50s.
While Essendon face a tougher challenge against Geelong  next Saturday, just how much quality form Port have rediscovered will be clearer  when they face GWS  on the Sunday.Â
For Hinkley's sake, the Power fans won't switch to the old Bruce Lee movies then either.