IN WHAT may be a sign we are in for one of the most even years in recent times, Port Adelaide has become the first club in more than a decade to be the only unbeaten team after three rounds of a season.

The Power continued their winning run on Saturday with a five-point victory over Brisbane, which followed impressive wins against Fremantle and Sydney in the opening two rounds.

Three other sides – Greater Western Sydney, Gold Coast and Hawthorn – entered round three unbeaten but all were defeated over the weekend, leaving Port as the outright ladder leader.

By comparison, three sides – Geelong, Adelaide and Richmond – were all unbeaten after five rounds last year.

It is the first time since West Coast in 2007 that there has been just one unbeaten side after three rounds of the season, highlighting the tightness of the competition.

That season the Eagles won their first seven games of the season after their 2006 premiership year, before injuries took their toll and they lost a semi-final to Collingwood in extra time.

Port travels to Melbourne for the first time this season to face Essendon on Sunday at Etihad Stadium, when it will be aiming to start a season 4-0 for the first time since 2013.

The high-scoring nature of the start of this season has also been reflected in the Coleman Medal race, with superstar Swan Lance Franklin's tally already up to 14 majors.

It is the most goals a player has kicked to lead the goalkicking after three rounds since Jonathan Brown in 2010, when the champion Lion booted 17 in the first three weeks.

Franklin's start to the season is his most prolific since 2008, when he kicked 15 goals in the opening three rounds on his way to a career-best 113-goal season in Hawthorn's flag.