A second-quarter clinic has seen an improving Port Adelaide cruise home 77-point victors against the Brisbane Lions at Adelaide Oval on Sunday evening, 21.10 (123) to 7.17 (57).

The Lions started the game strongly, smashing the Power at stoppages to open up a nine-point lead at quarter-time.

But from there it was all Port; the home side making light work of the Lions, booting 18 goals to three in the final three quarters.

The Lions’ loss was made worse by a torn hamstring to skipper Tom Rockliff, who looks set for a significant stint on the sidelines.

Jackson Trengove (24 disposals, 13 clearances) was sensational playing higher up the ground than he’s used to, Ollie Wines (27 possessions, one goal) and Travis Boak (31 disposals) were beasts on the inside, while Justin Westhoff (three goals, five assists) and Charlie Dixon (five goals) led a potent forward line.

Lion Dayne Beams was great value in his first game since round 18 last year, collecting 30 disposals and kicking a goal, the club’s other Dayne (Zorko) was solid (22 disposals, two goals), while Stefan Martin (51 hit-outs) controlled the ruck as was anticipated.

Without injured ruckman Matthew Lobbe, the Power were forced to rely on a trio of part-timers in Trengove, Westhoff and Dixon for their taps on Sunday.

All had a hand in the side’s opening goal - Westhoff the converter.

The slick start was hardly an indicator of how the opening term would continue; the Lions had come to play and once Martin took control in the ruck (17 first-quarter hit-outs) his midfield was able to provide the Lions’ forwards with plenty of opportunity.

Port entered Sunday’s game with the aim of sharking as many of Martin’s hit-outs as possible and began to do so in the second term.

As the Power evened the clearance count, Young, Dixon and Jake Neade slotted consecutive goals to wrestle the lead back and the Lions’ day took a dark turn soon after when Rockliff hobbled from the field with a torn hamstring.

Port was in total command at stoppages and when Dixon’s second made it seven goals for the term, the game was theirs to lose.

Despite the result being all but assured, the Power continued fighting through the second half to extend their lead and earn a much-needed percentage boost.

Lions coach Justin Leppitsch was understandably flat after the game, criticising his midfield and labelling his side’s inability to maintain its first-term level as a mental issue.

"The worst part our ground was our midfield, which is our most experienced (area)," Leppitsch said.

"That was pretty much the game, we’ve got to work together a bit better in there.

"When you have a good first quarter like that and then finish like that, you know it’s obviously not a physical thing - it has to be something else."

MEDICAL ROOM
Captain Tom Rockliff suffered a similar hamstring injury to the one that sidelines him during the NAB Challenge. Coach Justin Leppitsch labelled it as "minor" but he’d still be expected to miss between two and three games.

NEXT UP
The Lions would consider themselves a real chance at home next Saturday night when they host Collingwood.

PORT ADELAIDE 3.1 10.5 14.7 21.10 (136)
BRISBANE LIONS 4.4 5.6 5.13 7.17 (59)

GOALS
Port Adelaide: Dixon 5, Wingard, Westhoff, Young 3, Wines, Ebert, Broadbent, Neade, Impey, Pittard, Polec
Brisbane Lions: Zorko 2, Lester, Schache, Hanley, C.Beams, D.Beams

BEST
Port Adelaide: Trengove, Wines, Westhoff, Young, Pittard, Boak, Wingard
Brisbane Lions: D.Beams, Zorko, Batinac

INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Nil
Brisbane Lions: Rockliff (hamstring)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Foot, Ryan, McInerney

Official crowd: 32,399 at Adelaide Oval

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