1. Gray masterclass earns third Showdown Medal
It was the Robbie-Gray Show in the third quarter with the small forward kicking five majors (and six for the match). The snapshot for number four was thanks to some brilliant ruckwork by Paddy Ryder, bringing back memories of the pair's match-winning set piece against St Kilda last year. Credit for his fifth should go to a tenacious Jake Neade whose hard work saw a handball end up with Gray out the back … the score putting the Power in front. Only 10 minutes earlier a crafty Eddie Betts goal had given Adelaide a 20-point advantage.
2. Rockliff and SPP respond to SOS
After being smashed by 40 in the contested ball against the Eagles, the Power desperately needed some grunt in the midfield against Adelaide. It took Sam Powell-Pepper some time to exert himself on the contest but he delivered a brutish third quarter when the Power needed him most. The 20-year-old missed four AFL matches following his boozy night out and he looked like a player looking to release some frustrations and make amends with his teammates. After an underwhelming beginning to his career at Alberton, Tom Rockliff delivered his best performance in the black, white and teal. The pair had 23 contested possessions between them.
3. Drought is over, but Crows made Port earn it
A devastating third-quarter took the wind out of Adelaide's sails and when the Power led by three goals for most of the final term the game was going to script for the Power. But Adelaide never surrendered and almost pinched an unlikely victory. Eddie Betts scored his third, Taylor Walker kicked a long set shot and when Mitch McGovern converted the Crows were in front. Adelaide players can walk away with their heads held high but they'll be reviewing that final minute after losing in a thriller. The result ends a five-game winning streak for Adelaide and the ledger now stands at 22 wins each.
4. A win but room for improvement
Skill errors and indecision are proving costly for Port Adelaide and that was on full show in the second quarter. Stuck for options at half-back, Charlie Dixon was in two minds when kicked the ball out of bounds on the full only metres away. And closing in on half-time he spilled a mark on the lead. A touch of the fumbles by Chad Wingard, a missed set shot from Jake Neade and an unfortunate slip for Jared Polec streaming through the midfield also featured in a comedy of errors. On several occasions Port players appeared unclear what plan B was when the running option wasn't on and went short on too many occasions.
5. Mixed results for set shot options
Sam Gray had footy purists pulling their hair out when the small forward had a set shot and kicked around his body in the first quarter. Gray got a poor connection and managed just a behind. But Paddy Ryder showed the trend still has a place in the game. After marking strongly, the Power ruckman showed classed to bend the ball around his body from 50m to give his side an early break in the fourth quarter.
