1. Powered by heart
On paper this was a non-contest. The Power had lost the last eight games against the Swans and, given the reigning premiers' form entering last weekend's bye, another thrashing loomed. The conditions levelled the playing field though and Ken Hinkley's boys showed a heap of character. They out-pressured the Swans at contests and showed more desperation when the ball was loose. It was undoubtedly Hinkley's biggest win with the Power and one that screamed a simple message to the club's supporter base and the rest of the competition: Port Adelaide has serious character.
2. Shaky Swans
John Longmire hoped his side would come out of its bye as it entered it – as the League's form team. Unfortunately for Longmire, his side was far from a ladder leader on Saturday. The Swans' performance was like chalk and cheese compared to its 77-point demolition of Adelaide in round 11. On that day the reigning premiers were untouchable at AAMI Stadium and tore the Crows to shreds for the full four quarters. Against the Power though, the flag fancies came under constant pressure from start to finish and couldn't handle it. Their premiership defence is still around about the mark, but Saturday's loss marked a genuine hiccup.
3. Kurt an instant hit
It took just 15 seconds for the man everyone was waiting to see make his mark. A quick kick out of the middle found Kurt Tippett, who appeared so calm as he converted, it looked like he hadn't missed a minute of footy. Another quick kick forward found the 26-year-old later in the quarter and he again converted without issue. He was quieter after quarter time, but still presented well in difficult conditions for a big-marking forward. "I thought he looked pretty good ... 2.2, that is a reasonable return," Swans coach John Longmire said. "For a bloke who missed 12 weeks of footy, he was pretty good." Longmire will be seeking gradual improvement – if Tippett can manage that, the rest of the competition had better watch out.
4. Painful leadership
Domenic Cassisi dived in to smother the kick of Swans defender Nick Malceski early in the second quarter and succeeded... to a certain extent at least. Malceski missed the ball, but instead booted Cassisi right in the face. It looked terrible for the former skipper but, amazingly, Cassisi was fine. He soldiered on while Malceski limped away with a sore foot. Cassisi might not be captain anymore, but that act of desperation was the definition of leading by example. Hat's off to you, Dom.
5. King Kennedy
The slippery conditions at AAMI Stadium on Saturday meant contested possession would prove crucial and one man rose above the rest in the wet: Josh Kennedy. The big-bodied clearance king was dominant at stoppages, racking up an incredible 22 contested disposals to finish with 31 overall. He managed seven clearances and although it wasn't a match-winning performance, he's surely the master of brutal, contested football.
