PORT ADELAIDE beat Essendon by 50 points at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night to ensure it will finish in the AFL’s top two and host two finals.

The Bombers started brightly but Port booted ten goals to two after quarter time to ensure a comfortable win.

Here are some key things we learned from the game.

1) Charlie has some big mitts

In his 150^th AFL game, Charlie Dixon was switched on from the start. He took several marks in the first quarter and had three shots on goal. While his kicking was a bit off in those early stages, he was certainly clinging to everything that came his way. His best mark by far, and certainly a chance for a mark of the year nomination, took just four minutes and 50 seconds. Having missed his first shot on goal, Dixon watched as the Bombers cleared the ball outside 50. Hamish Hartlett picked up the ball cleanly and danced between a couple of opponents before bombing it long towards the goal square where Dixon was waiting with two opponents. With his left hand holding off one, he stretched out his right hand and plucked the ball out of the air when it appeared behind him and despite the drizzle descending on Adelaide Oval. He sealed the deal with a snapped goal around his body. Amazing!

2) Wines wins worship

Last week Ken Hinkley remarked that when his midfield wins, his side generally wins. It was no different on Saturday evening with Tom Rockliff, Travis Boak and Ollie Wines working over the Bombers centre line and each adding a goal to the scoreboard. Rockliff had 31 disposals, six tackles and a clearance, Boak had 26, four and four and Wines had 28, two and five. He also had 315 metres gained, two inside 50s and five score involvements. Hinkley praised the trio but singled out Wines for special praise. He said: “I’m just proud of him because everything hasn’t gone perfect for Ol and he’s had to fight through it the last 18 months to two years but he’s playing as good as I’ve seen him play in the last five or six weeks.” Hinkley will be hoping Wines’ good run continues into the finals.

3) Finals locked away

The critics have already been out in force. Port Adelaide has not won a final since 2014. Port Adelaide has not even played AFL Finals since 2017 when it suffered a heartbreaking after extra time and after the final siren loss to West Coast following a controversial free kick with 20 seconds to go. And while Port has not won a premiership since 2004, it has given itself the best possible chance with the win over Essendon confirming a top-two finish and two home finals. In a season like no other, Port has coped best with everything thrown at it and has sat top of the ladder since its Round 1 win over Gold Coast in March. It will have its best ladder position at the end of the season since 2007, a season in which it made the Grand Final. 2020 has reminded us that anything can happen and the True Believers can dare to dream.

4) Not just Charlie

Speaking of critics, many have been critical of where Port’s goals come from. Is the Power too Charlie Dixon-centric when it goes forward? Can it kick a winning score without Dixon’s influence? Port has the second best attack (and second best defence) in the competition as it stands so kicking a winning score is not a problem. And while the big man was certainly a target, and he booted two goals, there were nine other goal kickers on a night when Port won comfortably. Stats guru @sirswampthing pointed out it was the first time in 2020 that the ladder leader had ten different goal kickers.

5) The drum is here to stay

Last week it caught a few people off guard when Hamish Hartlett grabbed a drum from development coach Tyson Goldsack before the team song and started banging it as the players sang away. This week there was a sense of anticipation as to whether it would come out again. During the week the questions were flowing as to whether there might even be other instruments introduced. Coach Ken Hinkley summed it up best on Friday when he said: “If we keep winning, I don’t mind if we have an orchestra there by the end of it, as long as we keep winning.” And with Port’s win, Hartlett had the drum again on Saturday night. Let’s hope we see it again and again in 2020.