THERE is a pressure forward who has by stealth joined the competition's best for his role.

Sam Powell-Pepper's performance in Port Adelaide's win over Brisbane on Saturday was significant, but it was no outlier.

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The 25-year-old had 21 disposals, eight score involvements, five tackles and 38 forward half pressure points – the most for his side.

Attention deservedly will follow the Power's exciting, top-end midfield talents who all delivered against the highly fancied Lions, with Jason Horne-Francis' arrival at the club, Connor Rozee's rise continuing and Zak Butters' creativity and toughness shining.

But Powell-Pepper's influence on the Power has been simmering for longer than just the weekend. Last year's move into the forward line has found the best out of Powell-Pepper, who finished fifth in the club's best and fairest and second for goals at Port Adelaide with 24 majors.

Champion Data shows Powell-Pepper rated elite in disposals (16.7 a game) and contested possessions (6.1) last season, while his score involvements (5.2), goals (1.1), forward half pressure (above average), tackles (3.5) and AFL Player Ratings (8) were all classed as above average for his position.

Powell-Pepper entered the AFL as a hard-nosed midfielder, spending more than 80 per cent of his game time in the midfield in his first two seasons.

But his reinvention as a powerful, pressure machine started in 2019, when his midfield time dropped to 56 per cent and he spent 44 per cent as a forward. His forward time continued to grow, spending 58 per cent of game time in the role in 2021, before last year being almost purely a forward, where he spent 88 per cent of his games in the attacking position and just 12 per cent midfield.

That number was reflected again at Adelaide Oval against Brisbane, with Powell-Pepper playing 88 per cent forward and 12 per cent midfield.

Port Adelaide's new forward mix came together against the Lions, with Lachie Jones kicking three goals in a switch forward, Junior Rioli booting three on debut for the club and Todd Marshall and Charlie Dixon combining for seven goals as they return to spearhead the forward line together. Powell-Pepper's hardness, too, was an important factor.