The Swans trailed by four points after a tight opening term, but broke the game wide open in the second quarter.
The visitors piled on seven goals to the Power’s one in a dominant display to lead by 30 points at the main change.
Port Adelaide closed to be within 19 points at three-quarter time, but a goal to Brett Kirk at the start of the final term helped secure a valuable win for the Swans 14.9 (93) to 8.7 (55).
Veteran Jude Bolton continued his rich vein of form, finishing with 25 possessions and two goals, while Ryan O’Keefe (28 possessions and six inside 50s) and Daniel Hannebery (19 possessions and two goals) were also influential in the midfield.
Kieren Jack kept Power match-winner David Rodan to just 15 touches, while Nick Malceski (35 possessions and a goal) provided plenty of run from half-back.
Dual Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes finished with three majors to be the leading goalkicker on the ground.
The Power failed to find a multiple goalkicker in their misfiring forward line and their fifth-straight loss was compounded by injuries to midfielder Steve Salopek and forward Brett Ebert.
Salopek left the field late in the third term and didn’t re-emerge after his troublesome shoulder popped out of its socket. Ebert played out the game, but was hampered by an ankle complaint.
The win gives the Swans breathing space in the top eight heading into the mid-season break, while the Power could drop as low as 13th at the end of the round.
Port Adelaide 4.0 6.2 8.5 8.7 (55)
Sydney Swans 3.2 10.4 11.6 14.9 (93)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: K.Cornes, Trengove, Hartlett, Hitchcock, Boak, Davenport, Ebert, Thomas
Sydney Swans: Goodes 3, Bolton 2, Hannebery 2, Kennedy 2, McVeigh, Malceski, McGlynn, Jack, Kirk
BEST
Port Adelaide: K. Cornes, Cassisi, Surjan, Hartlett.
Sydney Swans: Malceski, Jack, Bolton, Goodes, Mumford, Hannebery
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Salopek (shoulder), Ebert (ankle)
Sydney Swans: Hannebery (shoulder)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Ryan, Jeffery, Mollison
Official crowd: 20,106 at AAMI Stadium
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
