It wasn't just Port Adelaide's back six that stood up defensively in Sunday's critical win over the Tigers, although the performance of key defenders Alipate Carlile, Jackson Trengove and adaptable backs Tom Jonas, Jack Hombsch, Jasper Pittard, Matt Broadbent and Cam O'Shea can't be understated.
Their work across the backlines, including the rotation of the club's effective spare defender role throughout the day, proved essential in setting up the Power's rebound from defence throughout the match, particularly the first half.
Senior defender Jonas played one of his best games for the year against Richmond thanks to what he described as a versatile defence.
"The versatility we've got back there with our group [in defence] is a real strength of ours [and] we can really mix those match-ups up," Jonas told FIVEaa.
"Bobby [Carlile] can play big or small - against whoever's deep - same with Hombschy, Cam [O'Shea] and myself, and you see Jackson can go forward and pinch-hit in the ruck, so we've got some great flexibility there and that really tests the opposition forwards."
While Jonas heaped praise on his fellow backmen, he said the team-wide focus on defending well and winning the contested ball was crucial for the Power's seven-goal blitz in the opening quarter.
"In warmer weather and finals it was always going to go up a level and that's what happened on the weekend," Jonas said.
"It's pretty simple game really, win the ball inside and i suppose that's what finals footy is about: who can get in and get their knees dirty and get the ball out.
"Our mids were really good at that on the weekend.
"There was always a focus on maintaining that intensity and inside ball ... we went into the game focussing on really hard defence.
"It was hard and fast and at the same time in the first half we really set the tone by playing brutal footy and winning the ball and we were able to set up victory from there."
That hardness was perhaps no better exemplified than by Hamish Hartlett in the second quarter when he crashed into Steven Morris while chasing a ground ball inside 50.
Hartlett collected the ball before Morris with a strong hip-and-shoulder before dishing the ball off to his teammates.
It's that commitment to the contest that wins finals football and the standard expected by the Port Adelaide playing group.
"We saw how many of the boys got down to Hamish and got around him for that," Jonas said.
"That's what we expect from our leaders and anyone [else] in our team.
"It was great to see that, everyone grows a bit taller."
