The upstart Blues led by three points at half-time before the Power broke their resistance with a 12-goals-to-five second half.
Roger James and Gavin Wanganeen were the standouts for the Power – each finishing with 28 possessions - while Darren Hulme tried all day for Carlton to finish with 22 disposals.
Acting Power captain Warren Tredrea won the toss and gave his side first use of a strong wind favouring the southern end but the Power was unable to fully capitalise on it.
The Cornes boys started well for Port with Kane’s early opener quickly followed by two majors to older brother Chad.
However, Carlton was able to hold the ball up and run it well into attack where Corey McKernan lurked dangerously for the Blues.
Brendan Fevola was also proving a handful for the Power defensive unit and his first goal of the day in the dying minutes of the first term cut the Power’s lead to a mere six points at the first break.
Goals to Callan Beasy and Nigel Lappin for Carlton were greeted by stunned silence from the crowd as the Blues snatched the lead back from their more-fancied opponents.
Che Cockato-Collins restored Port’s lead with his first goal for the day midway through the quarter but Fevola bagged his second soon after to give Carlton a three-point lead at half-time.
Port lifted its intensity after the main break and threatened to put the game out of Carlton’s reach as the third term progressed.
Four goals – including two to livewire Byron Pickett – went unanswered as the Power surged to a 29-point lead at the seventeen-minute mark of the quarter.
A brilliant snap from 50 by Fevola bounced through for a goal to break the Power’s run and breathe new life into the Blues side.
Goals to Sean O’Keeffe and Simon Beaumont followed soon after to drag the margin back to 17 points at the final break with Carlton set to kick with the wind in the final term.
Tredrea’s third goal of the day three minutes in made the task even harder for Carlton but Brad Fisher bobbed up with a goal at the 16-minute mark to keep the Blues in with a chance.
However, Domenic Cassisi’s first goal in the AFL was the start of a four-goal burst to the Power – including two more to Pickett – that sealed the game for Port.
PORT ADELAIDE: 4.3, 6.7, 13.13, 18.17 (125)
CARLTON: 3.3, 7.4, 11.8, 12.9 (81)
Goals: Port Adelaide: Pickett 4, Tredrea 3, C Cornes 2, Dew 2, Cockatoo-Collins 2, K Cornes 2, S Burgoyne, James, Cassisi.
Carlton: Fevola 3, McKernan, Houlihan, Lappin, Hulme, Beasy, O’Keeffe, Beaumont, Hulme, Fisher.
Best: Port Adelaide: James, Wanganeen, Pickett, Tredrea, Carr, Poulton, K Cornes.
Carlton: Hulme, Beaumont, Fevola, Lappin, McKay.
Injuries: Port Adelaide: Nil.
Carlton: Angwin (groin) replaced in selected side by French, Thornton (ill) replaced in selected side by Simpson.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Quigley, Schmitt, Hendrie.
Crowd: 31,083 at AAMI Stadium
