It was a hoodoo that reminded the Power of a dark day and several equally dark seasons, but their 10-game losing streak to the Cats was finally broken on Sunday night in emphatic fashion. It began with an embarrassing 119-point loss in the 2007 Grand Final, but it ended on Sunday with one of the club's greatest wins since it last beat Geelong – by five points in round 21, 2007. In front of 47,007 fans the home side simply outplayed the Cats after quarter-time, booting 12 goals to five.

The Peter Badcoe VC Medal has been awarded in each of Port's Anzac weekend games for the past 11 years, with its winner judged the player best exemplifying the Anzac spirit – skill, courage during adversity, self-sacrifice and fair play. Skipper Travis Boak has taken his game to new heights over the past two years, leading a young Port Adelaide unit from the darkness and into the light. He was again sensational against the side that tried so desperately to lure him back to Victoria in 2012 – collecting 32 disposals, 10 clearances and booting two goals.

 

Kane Cornes might be the Power's oldest player, but he's also the most decorated and showed why on Sunday. The 31-year-old, four-time club champion was trusted to stop Geelong skipper Joel Selwood and did so emphatically. Selwood, who had averaged 27 touches a game this year until round six, was kept to fewer than 20 possessions for the first time this season. Cornes though, was able to get free and set up countless attacking drives to finish with 33 disposals.

 

In last year's semi-final Geelong struggled in the second quarter, entering the main break down by 23 points after kicking 1.4 to Port's 4.3 for the quarter. To the Cats' credit they managed a five-goal turnaround in the third term and went on to win the game. The stage was set for a repeat on Sunday evening after the visitors kicked 0.5 to 4.1 in the second term to trail by 18 points at half-time. But on this occasion a third-term comeback never came as the Power extended their lead to 38 points by the final change.

 

As a match-up between the two highest ranked sides in the competition, Sunday's twilight game shaped as a blockbuster. A monster crowd combined with unbelievably attacking footy ensured it lived up to its promise. There was one backwards kick in the opening half – yes, one solitary kick that resulted in metres lost. Each side gained more than 3km in the first two quarters and the pace continued in the second half as the Power raced home to record an incredible victory.

 

Twitter: @AFL_Harry