AS HARD as Joe Daniher tried, he was only ever Essendon's most high-profile support act at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night – and the Bombers could hardly have been happier.

Essendon climbed into the top eight with a 19.17 (131) to 8.13 (61) upset of Port Adelaide to enter the bye with belief it could play finals for the first time since 2014.

The Bombers' stubbornness in playing former defender Cale Hooker in attack paid off as he enjoyed a career-high night with five first-half goals to overshadow a still-impressive Daniher.

Click here for full match details and stats

Hooker was so spectacular he forced Power coach Ken Hinkley to shift Jack Hombsch off him and try Tom Clurey, after a second towering grab resulted in his fourth major midway through the second term.

Essendon's 48-point opening quarter, from 13 scoring shots, was its most prolific of the year and best-ever beginning to a game against Port Adelaide.

Victorious coach John Worsfold hailed the performance as his side's most complete of the year as the Bombers levelled their win-loss ledger through 12 rounds.

"It's always hard to understand why you can be so dominant in that period," Worsfold said.

"We were playing a pretty good team (and) things just went our way. After getting that scoreboard pressure on early, Port felt that heat, but it wasn't just perceived.

"It was really good pressure on them and we were obviously getting the ball forward quick, (but) I certainly didn't expect to be that far in front at quarter-time."

It was an all-round performance from Hooker, whose agility was remarkable for a man of 197cm.

A chase-down tackle delivered his first goal, his second came off his non-preferred left boot – after winning the ball at ground level – and he had three by quarter-time thanks to a strong pack mark.

The Bombers copped grief for persisting with Jake Carlisle, who is now a Saint, as a forward two years ago, and Hooker's ineffectiveness at times in 2017 evoked memories of that. But, in reality, Hooker now has multiple goals in eight of his 11 matches this year.

The match was over as a contest at half-time, with Essendon boasting a 52-point buffer – the last two goals going to Daniher, including one after marking between two Port defenders – after seeing off a brief Power challenge.

The Bombers piled on the game's first five goals in barely 15 minutes, without Daniher having a single touch.

Daniher went into the ruck at the next centre bounce, worked his way forward and somehow got boot to ball for a wonderful dribbling goal with Jackson Trengove hanging off him.

Not even 17 minutes had passed and Essendon was 39 points up. The Power had just one behind to its name.

SHOWREEL: Bombers blitz in first-term frenzy

The Bombers' fast start was owed to more than just Hooker. They were slick with their ball movement and benefited from repeatedly going through the corridor.

There was excitement, too, with speedsters Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Orazio Fantasia and Conor McKenna going on a series of blazing runs. McDonald-Tipungwuti also almost hauled in a Mark of the Year contender in the goal square over Hombsch.

Football is certainly fun again at Tullamarine and the tortured Essendon faithful is enjoying it if the crowd volume was any gauge.

Dyson Heppell (34 disposals) was brilliant with double-digit possessions in each of the first two quarters when the match was won, Zach Merrett (38) also won plenty of the ball and McKenna (22) had one of his best games.

Five talking points: Essendon v Port Adelaide

Throw in veterans Brendon Goddard (31) and Jobe Watson (30) and it was a procession.

Unheralded Michael Hartley kept Port power-forward Charlie Dixon goalless, again enabling Michael Hurley to play his trademark general role. Hurley had five of his eight rebound 50s in the opening quarter alone.

It was a tough night for Port Adelaide, but Paddy Ryder did his utmost in the ruck against his old side – in spite of the constant boos – and Justin Westhoff, Ollie Wines and Robbie Gray toiled hard.

"We were shown up in all parts of the game tonight and that's the first time this year we've let ourselves down terribly," a disappointed Hinkley said. 

"Essendon were pretty good, I have no doubt about that, but we didn't offer much resistance."

MEDICAL ROOM
Essendon: Michael Hurley had his left quad strapped at quarter-time, but continued his dominant night without too much problem. 

Port Adelaide: The Power appear to have escaped without any genuine injury worries. Ollie Wines had painkillers for a left knee issue in the second term, but played out the match. Hamish Hartlett (hamstring tightness) and Tom Jonas (groin) also returned after briefly leaving the ground.

NEXT UP
Port Adelaide missed an opportunity to earn a top-four spot, but returns to the familiar surrounds of Adelaide Oval on Saturday to host a Brisbane Lions side coming off a rare victory. Essendon heads into the bye with a 6-6 win-loss record that has it in the thick of the finals race. The Bombers are back in action on Friday night, June 23 at the SCG against Sydney.


ESSENDON          7.6  12.9  14.13  19.17 (131)
PORT ADELAIDE  1.3   4.5     7.7     8.13 (61)

GOALS
Essendon: Hooker 5, Daniher 4, McDonald-Tipungwuti 4, Stewart 2, Merrett, Watson, Goddard, Heppell
Port Adelaide: R.Gray 3, Westhoff, Ah Chee, Trengove, Powell-Pepper, S.Gray 

BEST 
Essendon: Hooker, Heppell, Hurley, Watson, McKenna, Merrett, Kelly
Port Adelaide: Westhoff, Wines, R.Gray, Ryder, Trengove 

INJURIES 
Essendon: Nil
Port Adelaide: Nil 

Reports: Nil 

Umpires: Donlon, Margetts, Kamolins (inj), Harris

Official crowd: 34,022 at Etihad Stadium