On a perfect day in Melbourne, the Eithad Stadium roof remained shut for the clash between the finals-bound Bombers and a Port Adelaide side that had disappointed for much of 2011.

With a new CEO on board, hope nevertheless springs eternal, and with two games remaining Matt Primus and his team were determined in the build-up to the match to make a fist of the final two matches, including the historic Round 24 clash at Adelaide Oval against Melbourne.

At selection, Port Adelaide was forced to omit 2011 debutant Ben Jacobs, and opted to omit Daniel Stewart and Cameron Hitchcock, bringing in Brett Ebert, Matthew Broadbent and Cameron O’Shea. Broadbent was selected as the sub for the game, joined on the bench by Banner, Westhoff and Jonas.

The Power got off to a great start, with Lobbe winning the tap, Thomas working hard at ground level to break the tackle, feed Rodan, who passed to Schulz. From the set shot he goaled to begin the game well.

Once more the Power did well to win the centre clearance, with Thomas instrumental to feed Schulz for another set shot - this time his shot was wide. From the kick in O’Shea dropped a sitter but once more Thomas was in everything, with a snapped kick from Cassisi falling short and being rushed through for a behind.

A terrible error by the interchange steward first paid Port Adelaide a free kick then turned it over the other way, with Essendon winning a 50m penalty and Hille goaling from the free.

The defensive intensity by the Power was terrific early on, and some hard in-and-under work saw Cassisi snap a goal to continue the impressive first term for the young Port Adelaide side.

Heppell tightened the scores up after some fine work along the boundary by Jetta, then Carlyle marked strongly ahead of Chaplin and goaled to give Essendon the lead.

Fantastic defensive intensity kept the ball in the Power forward line, and Gray was the eventual beneficiary - he had the ball handed to him and his snap was true to give the Power back the lead.

Rodan once again showed a clean pair of heels and hit Schulz on the lead - his kick was once again perfect and straight over the goal umpire’s head.

Some poor defensive awareness saw Zaharakis unmarked inside 50 and his set shot tightened the scores up late in the first term.

A bad error by hand by Salopek saw the ball turned over in the middle of the ground and Carlisle was able to run into an open goal as a result of the split down the middle following a long handball by Reimers.

QUARTER TIME: 4.5.29 to 5.1.31. Goals: Schulz 2, Cassisi, Gray. Possessions: Rodan 9, Boak 8, Schulz 7, Thomas 6.

Rodan won the first centre clearance but it went nowhere - from the next stoppage the Fijian steamed forward again and hit Gray on the lead, but his kick was uncharacteristically poor.

Power players forced another turnover, and a deep kick in by Ebert caused panic in the forward 50, with Salopek able to kick off the ground to give the Power the lead once more early on in the second term.

A free inside 50 to Jetta gave the Bombers back the lead.

The ball whizzed from end to end without any major damage on the scoreboard, but finally a big contested mark by Hurley saw him kick truly and extend the lead to 8 points. He then marked ahead of Trengove once more, and his kick from outside 50 was centimetre perfect.

The Bombers really seemed to have gone up a gear, creating overlap and attacking in waves, with a crashed pack seeing Davey rove and run into goal.

A great mark by Salopek at the 16 minute mark saw the Power get the ball outside the Essendon 50 for the first time in a while, with the ball worked forward where the Bombers won the contest and started streaming forward once more, but Port worked the ball forward once more and Butcher took a strong contested mark and kicked his first for the day.

A fantastic tackle by Pearce saw a quick kick go in to Butcher, who nailed his second goal. The Power worked hard to stop the Bombers’ charge, and eventually a forced turnover saw another high ball go in and Gray’s rove was brilliant as he worked hard to get free and snap truly for a goal.

Butcher took an absolute hanger deep in the forward line under another high ball at the 27 minute mark of the second term, and he wobbled it through in true Kernahan style to give the Power the lead.

Winning the centre clearance, Gray marked on the lead and went back to kick truly to make it five goals in a row, before Hurley failed to goal as the siren rang out for half-time.

HALF-TIME: 10.7.67 to 9.5.59. Goals: Butcher 3, Gray 3, Schulz 2, Cassisi, Salopek. Possessions: Rodan 17, Boak 13, Gray 11, Salopek 10, Banner, Motlop and Pearce all 9.

Some really exciting run and carry from half back by Motlop saw the Power stream forward, with Gray’s long kick just tipping out of Ebert’s fingers - he earned a free for in the back, but missed his tough shot.

Gray earned a free from the subsequent Essendon kick-in, and his kick from 40 metres out was absolutely perfect. A chance to goal again by Banner saw him rush the kick and it sailed wide.

Brilliant tap work from Lobbe to Boak saw the ball spiralled into the forward 50 - from the spillage Schulz handballed brilliantly to O’Shea who streamed into an open goal. A free kick directly in front of goal saw Hurley break a 7 goal run by the Power from directly in front.

Essendon clearly lifted a gear, and the Power was struggling to get the ball forward as several points went the Bombers way. O’Shea was hauled down streamed forward, and hurt his ankle in the process, subbed out of the game for Broadbent.

A terrific saving mark by Chaplin at the 22 minute mark of the term saw the play slowed down as Chaplin put his boot back on, as Ryder went straight down the race clutching a shoulder. The Bombers were clearly on top, but the ability of the Power to stop the Dons from scoring in a defensive third term was super-impressive.

Amazing work in the pack saw Boak wrest the ball out of the contest and hand it to Gray, who snapped truly around his body for a brilliant goal that stopped the momentum that was seemingly all Essendon’s way.

Several missed shots for the Bombers hurt them, with Monfries kicking for goal after the siren but also pushing it wide.

THREE-QUARTER TIME: 13.10.88 to 10.12.72. Goals: Gray 5, Butcher 3, Schulz 2, O’Shea, Salopek, Cassisi. Possessions: Rodan 21, Boak 19, Gray 16, Motlop, Pearce and Salopek all 15, Cassisi and Chaplin both 12.

Watson earned a free from the bounce, but Logan was pushed straight in the middle of the back at the contest inside 50 to win the ball back. The Power steamed forward and Gray was in the right place at the right time at the fall of the ball to boot his sixth of the game.

Butcher then hauled down another strong contested grab and kicked his fourth goal of the game. The sides traded behinds, before Schulz marked 50 metres out and his kick was gun-barrel straight, as he booted his third of the game.

A succession of free kicks for the Power saw them work the ball forward into a flooded 50, before the Bombers won a free to allow them to spread it outside 50, with Ryder grabbing the ball and dribbling it through for a much-needed goal. Colyer then made it two in a minute to reduce the lead to 22.

Another Bombers goal saw the lead cut to 16 points as the lead was cut in a flurry of black and red goals, as Jetta got another and all of a sudden it was only 10 points around halfway through the final term.

A super mark by Hurley saw the incredible Essendon crowd roar with approval, and his kick was their third poster to make it an 8 point margin at the 18 minute mark.

Colyer continued to cut the Power midfield to ribbons with his run, hitting Hurley up before Davey received it and goaled to make it a mere 2 point margin after 5 unanswered goals in the space of 10 minutes.

Lobbe took a fantastic mark backing back at the 21 minute mark to cut off another Bombers forward thrust, then another mere minutes later on the wing. But a turnover saw the Bombers stream forward and Hurley took another huge mark in the square to give the Bombers the lead, then another goal stretched it further to make it a 10 point margin.

Two points made it an even 2 goal game, but the Power simply couldn’t win the ball past the half-back flank, with the boundary line become the Bombers’ best friend with their intensity simply unable to be matched, with another poster making it a 13 point lead for the Bombers.

A vital goal to Banner saw the margin reduced to 7 points, but an opportunity to go forward was lost as Davey seemingly pushed Rodan in the back but it was instead awarded as holding the ball.

FINAL SCORE: 17.11.113 to 17.18.120.

GOALS: Gray 6, Butcher 4, Schulz 3, Banner, Cassisi, O’Shea, Salopek.

DISPOSALS: Rodan 27, Boak 23, Gray and Salopek 20 apiece, Pearce 19, Motlop 16