PORT Adelaide is within one win of the top eight after capitalising on other results going its way and recording a 55-point win over GWS at Adelaide Oval on Saturday evening.

Losses for eighth-placed Richmond (9-7), ninth-placed St Kilda (9-7) and 10th-placed Western Bulldogs (8-8) opened the door for the Power, who remain 12th but improve to 8-8 with a percentage boost after their 12.12 (84) to 3.11 (29) win.

POWER V GIANTS Full match coverage and stats

The excitement for the Power, who started the 2022 season with five straight losses, may be tempered with a daunting month ahead. Port has four games against top-eight sides – Melbourne, Geelong, Collingwood and Richmond.

But Port held up its end of the bargain on Saturday night against the 13th-placed Giants as Connor Rozee dazzled with four goals from 24 possessions, while Zak Butters returned from a two-game absence due to a knee injury with a team-high 26 disposals.

06:02

Highlights: Port Adelaide v GWS

The Power and Giants clash in round 17

Published on Jul 9, 2022

The Power were dominant with 400-307 disposals and 65-37 inside 50s, with their trademark pressure on show with 19-8 tackles inside 50.

They shared the load, but Sam Powell-Pepper (25 disposals and 10 marks) and Travis Boak (24 disposals, including 12 contested possessions) were among their main ball winners.

00:51

Powell-Pepper snap breaks goal drought to ice game for Port

Sam Powell-Pepper gets the first goal of the last quarter with a classy finish

Published on Jul 9, 2022

Jeremy Finlayson impressed in his makeshift ruck role facing his former club for the first time, with 22 disposals including a joint game-high 12 contested possessions and nine inside 50s with 13 hit-outs and five clearances.

The Giants barely put up a fight and their poor evening was further soured with a worrying hamstring injury to veteran Phil Davis.

00:29

Disaster for Giants with Davis subbed out

Former GWS captain Phil Davis has been subbed out for the match with a suspected hamstring injury

Published on Jul 9, 2022

GWS co-captain Stephen Coniglio continued his excellent form with 32 possessions with a game-high seven clearances, while Josh Kelly (27 disposals) and Harry Himmelberg (22 disposals for 461 metres gained) were both good contributors.

Rozee's hot first half – that included three goals and six score involvements – set up the win as the Power jumped to a 38-point half-time advantage fuelled by a dominant 36-16 inside 50s.

Todd Marshall and Kane Farrell booted two goals each for Port, while Jesse Hogan was GWS' only multiple goalkicker in a game that fizzled out.

CAREER OVER? Giants veteran's future in limbo after fresh hamstring concern

The Giants threatened to offer a challenge in the second half but kicked only one goal – via Toby Greene – from six scoring shots in the third term.

The goals dried up in the second half before a late Power surge, with Rozee grabbing his fourth major late in the fourth quarter to put the icing on the cake.

Curtains for Phil Davis?
The end may be nigh for Davis, who was the first player to ever sign with the Giants way back in August 2011. The key defender, who turns 32 late next month, clutched his right hamstring and grimaced in pain on the ground after contesting a mark with Charlie Dixon early in the third term. The 192-game veteran limped off the field and was subbed out in a worrying sign, having missed months earlier this season after a grade three tear in his left hamstring in round two. With six games left this season, Davis' future appears in limbo.

Phil Davis is carried from the ground with a hamstring injury during GWS' round 17 match against Port Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval on July 9, 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

Marshall still the sharp-shooter
Port spearhead Todd Marshall is the most accurate goalkicker in the game this year, going into this game having booted 32.9 at 78 per cent, and he reinforced his sharp-shooter status with two excellent majors in the first quarter from tough angles. Marshall nailed a set shot from 40m on the boundary and a few minutes later repeated the dose from the other pocket with a classy snap. He finished with 2.1 in an intriguing battle with Giants defender Sam Taylor.

Todd Marshall and Sam Taylor compete for the ball in the round 17 match between Port Adelaide and GWS at the Adelaide Oval on July 9, 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

Where to with Haynes forward?
Giants caretaker coach Mark McVeigh hasn't been afraid the throw the magnets around since taking over with Stephen Coniglio's full-time midfield switch and Harry Himmelberg going down back, but one experiment that doesn’t seem to be paying off is Nick Haynes forward. The 2020 All-Australian defender hasn't kicked a goal since his switch forward and had only two touches and no marks up until half-time against Port. He finished with seven possessions and three marks. Himmelberg's move into defence has necessitated Haynes' switch forward, but McVeigh may be considering his options especially after his side kicked three goals for the game.

Port Adelaide's Tom Clurey kicks the ball from GWS' Nick Haynes and Toby Greene during round 17 at Adelaide Oval on July 9, 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

PORT ADELAIDE           4.2       8.6       9.9       12.12 (84)
GWS                             1.4       2.4       3.9        3.11 (29)

GOALS 
Port Adelaide: Rozee 4, Marshall 2, Farrell 2, Bergman, Dixon, Powell-Pepper, Georgiades
GWS: Hogan 2, Greene

BEST 
Port Adelaide: Rozee, Butters, Finlayson, Boak, Powell-Pepper, Aliir
GWS: Coniglio, Himmelberg, Kelly, Hogan, Cumming

INJURIES 
Port Adelaide: Nil
GWS: Davis (hamstring), Kennedy (concussion)

SUBSTITUTES
Port Adelaide: Jed McEntee (unused)
GWS: Xavier O'Halloran (replaced Davis in the third quarter)