Many in-form players within the Magpies were touted, few saw the elevation and selection of rookie-listed Sam Gray coming.
Gray's rise into the club's AFL team after years of playing League football for Port Adelaide in the SANFL came largely from his own hard work.
Fortunately for him, hard work forms one of the cores of Ken Hinkley's training regime at Alberton.
Hard work gets results: Hinkley
The Port Adelaide senior coach heaped praise on the 21-year-old following his three-goal contribution at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday afternoon.
Gray, additional to his unexpected scorecard, also finished with 16 disposals at over 93 per cent efficiency, three tackles and four inside 50s - remarkable statistics for a player on debut.
To Hinkley, it came as no surprise, having seen the potential offered by Gray with the club's SANFL side last year.
There, Gray won the coveted A.R.McLean Medal as the Magpies' best and fairest as well as finishing runner-up in the Magarey Medal count.
But before that, he trained with the club leading into the 2013 rookie draft along with several other hopefuls looking for their break in AFL football.
He didn't make it that time, but the Power's fitness team and Hinkley himself gave him simple advice: go back to the SANFL, get fitter and use it to produce your best football.
That's exactly what Gray did, and just like players who 'pick themselves' by playing consistently positive football, Gray's 2013 performance in the state league was such that it was difficult for the Power's recruiting team to overlook him.
Scooped up in the 2014 rookie draft, Gray joined a special category of player to be a traditional Magpies junior player who had climbed through the ranks to be selected on its AFL list.
Ever since the club's training camp in Dubai, Gray has been one of the Power's best trainers and overcame a mid-summer shoulder injury to produce some of his best football during the Magpies' pre-season campaign.
"Sam's proof of himself, I reckon, more than anything," Hinkley said after Saturday's win.
"You'd watch him last year and just tell he could play high-level football.
"As I said before this game, he was at his best at that level, so he needed the next step up to see what it was like [and] I think he showed that he's got a bit of AFL football in front of him."
But while Gray's performance, as described as Hinkley, can be largely credited to his own effort and perseverance, it also provides an insight into the benefit of the club's fully integrated football program and the 'One Club' culture which is organically growing at Alberton.
Talking points: Power v Lions
Gray's ability to look and feel comfortable and composed at AFL level is because of the confidence he has in his role within the Port Adelaide game plan.
He feels confident, because he plays as part of that framework every week - whether its in a black, white and teal jumper or the club's traditional prison bar guernsey.
Previously the Power's playing list was fragmented between the formerly nine SANFL clubs when not selected in the Power 22, but now those assigned to non-Port Adelaide players has been 'brought home' and will play in the famous black and white jumper in the state league.
They won't play under a conflicting game plan or in a role contrary to what the club's coaches want them to do.
And along with the senior contracted playing list of 15 Magpies-only talents, every Port Adelaide player signed to the club is now learning to play the Port Adelaide way.
Simply put, there are no grey areas for Port Adelaide's players now, and it shows on the field.
You need look no further than Gray's Magpie colleagues Aaron Young (8 touches, 1 goal as sub) and Cam O'Shea (16 touches at 87% efficiency, 3 one-percenters) - both with numerous AFL runs under their belts - who pushed their way into the side to play the Lions after weeks cultivating their form in the Magpies League team under Garry Hocking.
They blended in seamlessly on Saturday afternoon.
Aaron Young celebrates his goal with Jay Schulz
"It's been a lot easier with all of the boys being able to do the same structures," Gray said after the game.
"The Magpies boys train with us Power boys and we all learn the same structures together.
"It's been really good to have everyone under the one system now."
Saturday's game was the first litmus test of the 'One Club' football formula at Alberton and on the face of things, Port Adelaide passed it through the performance of the Gray-O'Shea-Young trio.
Hinkley knows the value and importance of having a fully integrated football program it and that's why, even with a big form and percentage-boosting win under his club's belt on Saturday, he'll be at Alberton on Sunday afternoon to see the Magpies host the Tigers for the first game at the club's spiritual home ground for 2014.
Along with past legends in attendance at the ground and the club's faithful sitting in the outer, he'll be meeting with the heroes of yesterday, seeing the players of the present and searching for the stars of the future at Alberton Oval.
Heroes recognised at Alberton Oval
"We as a club are 'One Club' and we're really proud of that now," Hinkley said.
"Everyone plays for Port Adelaide and [on Sunday] we'll go and watch Port Adelaide again and hopefully get another big result at SANFL level.
"We expect to win, that's really important for us, but the pleasing thing that you'll hopefully see is similar styles of football being played.
"That makes a difference from our point of view towards developing players at both levels."
The alignment of Port Adelaide's football program made a lot of supporters happy off the field, hopefully Saturday's result was the first small win in a series of little 'One Club' wins on it.
Port Adelaide plays Glenelg at 2:10pm at Alberton Oval on Sunday afternoon. Entry costs $14 general admission, $8 concession and children under 18 admitted free. Read more.
