PORT Adelaide has handed Fremantle its seventh straight loss overcoming a slow start to record a 28-point win at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.

Eeriness is something that seems to follow Fremantle and the story against Port Adelaide was all too familiar in the Power's 16.7 (103) to 10.15 (75) win. For the fifth successive week Fremantle has given up a three quarter-time lead to lose and captain Matthew Pavlich once again hit the post with a crucial shot for goal late in the game.

Fremantle now remains equal bottom on the AFL ladder with Melbourne as it could not manage a victory to celebrate its 300th game.

Peter Bell was sorely missed as he was a late withdrawal for Fremantle, with Byron Schammer earning a reprieve after initially being dropped to play for Claremont on Foundation Day in the WAFL.

It might be hard to look past the defeat for Fremantle, but Rhys Palmer was again brilliant despite starting on the bench. He finished with 28 possessions, with Ryan Crowley giving good support with 25 and Kepler Bradley 22.

Aaron Sandilands was again good in the ruck to finish the game with 20 disposals, 24 hit outs and two goals.

Port Adelaide got the opening goal of the game when it virtually landed in Brendon Lade's lap in the goal square, but Fremantle then took control with five of the last six goals of the quarter to lead by 18 points at the first change.

Sandilands was the star for the home side kicking two goals and dominating the ruck, while Pavlich spent most of the quarter on the ball and had six touches and a goal.

As good as Fremantle looked in the opening term it was equally as disappointing in the second. It took over eight minutes for the first goal and when Daniel Motlop kicked truly for the Power, it was the start of six straight for the visitors as they advanced to a 14-point lead at the main break.

Defender Antoni Grover gave Fremantle a fast start to the third quarter when he kicked the side's first goal since the 23rd minute mark of the first quarter. Port Adelaide responded with two goals to Danyle Pearce and 100-gamer David Rodan, but Fremantle had one more surge left in it before the last change.

Goals to Luke McPharlin, Scott Thornton and Crowley brought scores level and the home side got the last two points of the quarter to lead by two at three quarter-time. After losing the last four games by leading at the last break, though, only time would tell if that was a good thing.

Coach Mark Harvey took his side to in front of its cheersquad for his three quarter-time address as the home crowd sensed victory.

It didn’t work, though. Motlop's brilliant fourth goal regained the lead for the Power. Fremantle showed resilience when last week’s NAB Rising Star nominee, Garrick Ibbotson, snapped truly to regain the lead. Port Adelaide kicked the last five goals of the game to run out convincing winners.

Fremantle       5.1   5.7   9.13   10.15 (75)
Port Adelaide   2.1   8.3   10.5    16.7 (103)

GOALS
Fremantle: Sandilands 2, Pavlich, Black, Farmer, Grover, McPharlin, Thornton, Crowley, Ibbotson
Port Adelaide: Motlop 5, Tredrea 3, Rodan 2, Westhoff 2, Lade, Salopek, Pearce, Gray

BEST
Fremantle: Palmer, Crowley, Sandilands, Bradley, Johnson
Port Adelaide: Rodan, Logan, K Cornes, Motlop, Logan, Salopek, Pearce

INJURIES
Fremantle: Chris Mayne (cut head), Peter Bell replaced in selected side by Byron Schammer
Port Adelaide: Chad Cornes (cut ear), Steven Salopek (cut head), Michael Pettigrew (hamstring), Domenic Cassisi replaced in selected side by Paul Stewart

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Margetts, Ryan, Chamberlain

Official crowd: 34,236 at Subiaco Oval

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of the club.