PORT Adelaide has emphatically banished memories of last year's damaging defeat to Greater Western Sydney with a 75-point decimation of the GIANTS at ŠKODA Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The corresponding fixture in round 19 last season brought GWS its first win at its new home and led to the dismissal of then-Port coach Matthew Primus and a clean-out of the club from top to bottom.
But it was a very different story this time around, with the visitors holding GWS to just one goal at half-time en route to a 19.11 (125) to 6.14 (50) triumph, halting a five-game skid from Ken Hinkley's outfit.
Skipper Travis Boak (29 touches, three goals) led the way for the Power, while Chad Wingard's star continues to rise and Jay Schulz and Angus Monfries added three goals apiece.
It was also a fitting day for Kane Cornes, who played a key role in his 256th game for the Power, moving one past former teammate Warren Tredrea in the club's history to claim the games record.
Cornes declined to be chaired from the ground by his teammates, saying the milestone came too close to his 250th game, which had also involved plenty of attention for the 30-year-old.
But Cornes was happy to move on from the disappointment of Port's last meeting with GWS in Sydney.
"Obviously it was a disappointing day for the club," Cornes said.
"But we're six wins now (this year). We only won five games for the whole year last year.
"The improvement has been great."
Unfortunately for the GIANTS, they followed up a fighting effort against Geelong heralded as the best in their short history with one of their most uncompetitive displays to date.
Tom Scully (30 possessions), Adam Tomlinson and Adam Treloar had the odd moment for the home side and Jonathan Giles battled hard in the ruck, but it was otherwise a meek display against a Port outfit that is also very early in its development.
GWS coach Kevin Sheedy felt Scully had held his own, but said it was a surprisingly poor effort after last week's performance against the Cats.
"I thought Scully played pretty well," Sheedy said.
"He kept working hard through the game.
"(But) it takes time to develop a team that can cope with the tactics and the ball-winning of the opposition.
"We were fumbling the ball that poorly and our handballing was so slow and robotic that the interceptions were really frustrating.
"It wasn't like that the week before."
The Power appeared determined to erase any thoughts of last year's visit to ŠKODA Stadium from the outset, putting thee goals on the board before GWS had moved the ball forward of the centre square.
In his first game since round three, Will Hoskin-Elliott answered with the GIANTS' first, but three more Power majors gave them a 34-point lead at the first change.
The second quarter was more of the same, with Port kicking 6.2 and holding the struggling GIANTS to just four behinds.
The tone was set for the rest of the afternoon, with the visitors finding space all over the ground and picking out targets in their forward line almost at will.
They will surely face a much tougher task against the Sydney Swans next week, while the bye will give the young GIANTS time for some much-needed rest.
PORT ADELAIDE 6.5 12.7 17.9 19.11 (125)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 1.1 1.5 3.10 6.14 (50)
GOALS
Cameron 2, Hoskin-Elliott, Whitfield, Adams, Williams
BEST
Scully, Tomlinson, Treloar, Giles
