PORT ADELAIDE has dropped out of the top eight after a brilliant third quarter from Collingwood saw the Magpies win by 38 points at the MCG on Sunday.

After Port Adelaide led by a goal at the main break, Collingwood ran rampant in the third quarter, eventually finishing 17.12 (114) to 11.10 (76) winners.

The Power looked the stronger team early on when they kicked five first-quarter goals, but Collingwood, led by the prolific Dane Swan (48 disposals), hit back to leapfrog the Power on the ladder.

The tough trip interstate was made even harder before the match for Port Adelaide when star forward Daniel Motlop was a late withdrawal with an ankle injury.

The second quarter was in direct contrast to the first, with the Power unable to do anything on the scoreboard. In fact, it took until the 15-minute mark of the second term before Matthew Westhoff put through their first goal for the term.

Collingwood lifted in the second term as their tall forwards began to present. John Anthony, who was to finish with four goals, came in to the game and made life tough for Alipate Carlile.

Domenic Cassisi more than held his own in his midfield duel with Scott Pendlebury and was Port Adelaide’s leading possession winner with 30, while Kane Cornes kept the dangerous Leon Davis to minimal output.

The Power had some worries in blanketing Swan, trying both Matt Thomas and Travis Boak on the gun midfielder. Swan had 28 touches to half-time and opened the second half with a bang, intercepting a Nathan Krakouer kick-in to level the scores.

Steven Salopek and Troy Chaplin toiled hard from the back half, while Peter Burgoyne gave his usual determined effort.

Boak struggled when on Swan, but was effective when he got his own ball, finishing with 23 touches.

The Magpies booted nine goals in a row over the second and third terms to regain the lead.

Port Adelaide’s drought finally broke at the 21-minute mark when Brett Ebert converted a free kick for Port Adelaide’s first goal in 30 minutes of football. He followed up soon after with a miraculous snap from deep in the forward pocket to provide one of Port Adelaide’s few highlights in the second half.

But just when it looked as if the Power were looking to be competitive again, the Magpies hit back with two goals just before the final break to increase their advantage to 38 points.

Making news even worse for the Power was the absence of Chad Cornes in the second half with a leg injury.  

There looked to be some flicker of hope for Port Adelaide when Jacob Surjan slotted through a classy goal in the opening minutes of the final term, but Collingwood forward Brad Dick came back shortly after with another goal to keep them at bay.

The final term was largely uneventful, and the Power received further bad news when Thomas hobbled off in the dying minutes to cap off a forgettable day.

Port Adelaide makes a welcome return to AAMI Stadium next week to take on Fremantle.

Collingwood        3.1    6.5    15.8    17.12 (114)
Port Adelaide      5.2    7.5     9.6     11.10 (76)

GOALS
Collingwood: Anthony 4, Didak 3, Dick 3, L. Brown 2, Lockyer, Swan, Davis, Clarke, Sidebottom
Port Adelaide: Ebert 3, Gray, Rodan, Cassisi, Tredrea, M. Westhoff, Lade, Surjan, Pearce

BEST
Collingwood: Swan, L. Brown, Dick, Pendlebury, Anthony, Fraser, O'Brien
Port Adelaide: Cassisi, Boak, Chaplin, Pearce, Salopek, K. Cornes

INJURIES
Collingwood: Nil
Port Adelaide: D. Motlop (ankle) out, replaced in selected side by M. Westhoff, C. Cornes (calf)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Margetts, McLaren, Armstrong

Official crowd: 34,793 at the MCG

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.