HAS PORT Adelaide unearthed the blueprint to banish the Demons?

Much was made of the Power's physical approach towards Melbourne ruckman Max Gawn – a barometer for the red and blue – but less about the game style Ken Hinkley's team employed.

Port ranked 15th, 14th and 13th over the past three seasons for average handballs and never racked up more than 161.1 per game in that period.

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It was more of the same in the JLT Community Series, yet the Power super-charged their handball count to 195 at the MCG on Saturday and gained 406 metres in the process.

Both those figures ranked second for the round.

Hinkley's men had 72 more handballs and 93 extra uncontested possessions than the Dees, and played on from marks an AFL-most 54 per cent of the time, excluding in the forward 50.

Port Adelaide last had that many handballs in round 21, 2017 (199), while you have to go back further to find a Power side that matched the uncontested possession buffer (round 19, 2016) and mark, play on percentage (round 19, 2015).

There was a clear shift in strategy for the opponent and it paid off handsomely, so there's little wonder Hinkley was so satisfied afterwards.

"There's absolutely no doubt in my mind. This is the best win I've been involved with at Port Adelaide, including finals," the coach told reporters.

"Because of the side we put out there, because of the braveness we showed right through the summer, because of the commitment by a great group of young people.

"I think there were a lot of doubters and I'm really pleased (with) and really proud of them."

However, the cherry on top came in contested possession, where the Power trumped the 2018 King of the Clinches by one, which is easier said than done.

So are these the keys to success against Melbourne, one of the year's premiership fancies?

The evidence, dating to the start of last season, suggests as much, with the Dees extremely reliant on their bread and butter work in the contest.

Port had similar thinking in its round 14 victory last year over Melbourne – gaining 414 metres from only 133 handballs – but it received a hiding in inside 50s and contested possessions.

That was the only other time since 2017 that the Power managed that handball feat.

Geelong (336 handball metres gained, round one), Richmond (323, round five) and Collingwood (336, round 12) were the other teams to down the Dees with attacking handball.

Critically, all three were also within seven contested possessions of Melbourne.

St Kilda was the only side to lose to the Demons in 2018 while racking up at least 300 metres gained by handball (443, to be exact), although the Saints were crunched by 20 possessions in the contest.

It's one to monitor throughout the season.

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Hawks in rare air

Hawthorn's win over Adelaide on Saturday came in rare circumstances.

The Hawks amassed fewer disposals, free kicks, marks, clearances, inside 50s, contested possessions and uncontested possessions than the Crows and still emerged victorious by 32 points.

Sides had won only 34 times previously since 1999 when losing all of those statistics.

The most recent case was Sydney at the Western Bulldogs' expense in round four last year.

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Sixteen Dockers registered at least one behind against North Melbourne at Optus Stadium, only one short of the club record.

Almost five years have passed since Fremantle last had at least that many players hit the scoreboard in the same game, in round 12, 2014 and also round 20, 2013.

It might be a good omen for the Ross Lyon-coached squad, which finished in the top four in both of those seasons.

*All stats courtesy of Champion Data