EMERGING star Chad Wingard inspired Port Adelaide to the upset of the season, a slogging 18-point comeback victory against the Sydney Swans on Saturday.

The Power trailed at three-quarter time but Wingard triggered a late surge as Port won 10.12 (72) to 8.6 (54) at a sodden AAMI Stadium.

Port ruined the comeback game of the visitor's prized recruit Kurt Tippett, who kicked a goal in the first minute and finished with two in an ominous debut for his new club.

But in wet and windy conditions, Port kicked five goals to two in the last term to stun the Swans and climb into the top eight.


Wingard booted three goals, including two in the tense final stanza, while Port's acting captain Brad Ebert, Matthew Broadbent and veteran hard-nuts Dom Cassisi and Tom Logan revelled in the heavy going.

The Swans were superbly served by midfielders Josh Kennedy and Jarrad McVeigh and backman Nick Malceski was prominent.

But the flag fancies lost ex-skipper Adam Goodes, who was substituted at three-quarter time with an injured right knee.

The dual Brownlow medallist watched a final term in which the lead changed five times before Wingard helped to seal the Swans' fate.

The 19-year-old was instrumental in delivering first-year coach Ken Hinkley his greatest win after the Power slipped behind early as Tippett took centre stage.


Tippett took a mark just 11 seconds into his playing career as a Swan, and then converted, in an impressive comeback after an 11-match suspension for his illegal 2009 contract with his former club, Adelaide.

Tippett potted another some 17 minutes later as the Swans crafted a 4.1 to 1.2 advantage by quarter-time.

But Port, in two quarters of water-logged work, snuck within four points at the last break.


The home side, inspired by Wingard, then overwhelmed the reigning premiers to bank their seventh win from 12 games this season.
 
 
"They tackled well, they used the ball well and I you come up against a team that does that consistently well over four quarters you need to be doing the same thing," he said.
 
The Power made the most of their opportunities, booting 60 points to just three from turnovers. 
 
Port coach Ken Hinkley said such a discrepancy justified the club's attack on the ball.
 
"Hopefully it's good method…we probably made the most of them with the conditions … but your method to force the turnovers is what you worry about," he said.
 
"It's not what you do with the turnover, obviously it's important for you to score, but for us it's the method to get the turnover."




The Power celebrate a famous win as they leave AAMI Stadium after conquering the Swans. Picture: AFL Media

PORT ADELAIDE      1.2   3.5    5.6    10.12 (72)                  
SYDNEY SWANS       4.1   5.2     6.4    8.6   (54)          
 
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Wingard 3, Monfries 2, Broadbent, Neade, Schulz, Westhoff, Gray
Sydney Swans: Goodes, Jack, Tippett 2, Mitchell, Morton
 
BEST 
Port Adelaide: Ebert, Broadbent, Cornes, Wingard, Gray, Westhoff, Lobbe
Sydney Swans: Kennedy, Jack, O'Keefe, McVeigh, Pyke, Malceski
 
INJURIES 
Port Adelaide: Stewart (back) replaced in selected side by Campbell Heath
Sydney Swans: Adam Goodes (knee)
 
SUBSTITUTES
Port Adelaide: Jasper Pittard replaced Matt Thomas at three-quarter time.
Sydney Swans: Jed Lamb replaced Adam Goodes at three-quarter time.
 
Reports: Nil
 
Umpires: McBurney, Farmer, Pannell
 
Official crowd: 16,096 at AAMI Stadium