Port Adelaide

Port Adelaide's pair of prized recruits have made instant impacts in a 54-point belting of premiership fancies the Brisbane Lions.

Dixon paid off some of his debt with a goal after the halftime siren to leave the Power 12 points down. Horne-Francis was superb with his 25 disposals featuring 10 inside 50s, 11 score involvements and a goal - and he sparked a match-winning Power surge in the third term. Jason Horne-Francis was best-afield and Junior Rioli slotted three goals in the Power’s resounding 18.18 (126) to 11.6 (72) triumph at Adelaide Oval.

The AFL's score review system couldn't even make through the opening weekend without courting controversy.

That ball was behind the Port player’s leg but apparently there was insufficient evidence?— Eden Richards (@Eden_Richards) The demoralising loss will leave a lot of questions marks over the heads of the Lions after entering the season as one of the premiership favourites. What’s the point of the review system in the AFL? The ball trickled over the goal line with the umpires converging and sending it upstairs with the goal umpire’s call a goal. In the fourth game of round one, the new system found itself in the spotlight after awarding a goal that commentators and fans believed had come off a defender. Port Adelaide put the Brisbane Lions to the sword in a 18.18 (126) to 11.6 (72) demolition, but the Power had some luck go their way.

NEW RECRUIT Jason Horne-Francis has played a major role in Port Adelaide's 18.18 (126) to 11.6 (72) comeback win against Brisbane at Adelaide Oval on ...

Dunkley was the Lions' best at the coalface, with a game-high 14 contested possessions, while Gunston had limited supply, finishing with two goals from nine touches. Port's third-quarter run was aided by a clumsy score review, where Lachie Jones was awarded a goal when his close-range toe poke appeared to come off Harris Andrews' thigh. Rioli also pulled off a dubious hanger over Harris Andrews, with the ball clearly not being controlled and hitting the ground yet the umpire paid the mark. Ashcroft started slow but worked his way into the game with a classy goal to finish with 13 disposals. Horne-Francis capped the term by tackling Hugh McCluggage, who went without a disposal in the quarter, for holding the ball, before finding an open Dixon who kicked truly. Junior Rioli was Port's other big off-season addition alongside Horne-Francis and he was a key player in the first half, with two goals, 10 disposals and six score involvements.

Port Adelaide begin Ken Hinkley's most crucial season at the helm with a blockbuster home match against Brisbane. Join The Roar for live scores…

Burgoyne, J. Evans, J. Fort, D. Sharp, D. Aliir, D. HB: D. Jonas (c), T. Burton, T. 8.4 (52) 6.10 (46) 9.5 (59) 14.15 (99)

Port Adelaide were convincing winners over Brisbane at Adelaide Oval, dishing out a 54-point thumping.

The pain kept coming for Chris Fagan in the final term, with his team unable to conjure anything resembling a comeback. With it all to prove in the third term, Hinkley backed in his youngsters in the middle, a move that could hardly have paid off more. Josh Dunkley was unstoppable early but slowed down late to finish with 19 disposals and a game-high 14 contested possessions, while Connor McKenna’s match followed a similar arc. Coming into the campaign, Port had put forward an unconvincing pre-season. Zak Butters and Connor Rozee were among the best on ground in that term, but even the midfield duo’s impact paled in comparison to that of Jason Horne-Francis in his first game for the club. “It had to happen, there had to be a changing of the guard…

Brisbane coach Chris Fagan is baffled by a lack of effort from his players in their 54-point hammering...

responsibility for that sits on my shoulders as much as it sits on the players so I will have a review of myself first." "There's the game statistics that tell you what happened but there's also what is going on in people's minds. all the things that we pride ourselves on were non-evident," he said. "I feel like he's a really solid person and he is home, he's happy - they are things that help make you become a good footballer." "He was a really solid player for us," Hinkley said. And he sparked a match-winning Power surge in the third term: after trailing by 12 points at halftime at Adelaide Oval, they booted eight goals to one in a decisive third quarter.

Port Adelaide has started 2023 with a 54-point win over Brisbane in front of its home crowd.

Dunkley was the Lions' best at the coalface, with a game-high 14 contested possessions, while Gunston had limited supply, finishing with two goals from nine touches. Junior Rioli was Port's other big off-season addition alongside Horne-Francis and he was a key player in the first half, with two goals, 10 disposals and six score involvements. Rioli also pulled off a hanger over Harris Andrews, and went on to sell some candy to Jarryd Berry, skipping past and slotting his second goal. Ashcroft started slow but worked his way into the game with a classy goal to finish with 13 disposals. Horne-Francis capped the term by tackling Hugh McCluggage, who went without a disposal in the quarter, for holding the ball, before finding an open Dixon who kicked truly. Port piled on eight goals to one in a dominant third term after trailing by 18 points late in the first half, with 2021 No.1 pick Horne-Francis, who joined Port from North Melbourne in the off-season, dominating with 10 disposals including three clearances and five inside 50s for the quarter.

After dominating the first quarter, Port lost momentum in the second when Charlie Dixon handed Daniel Rich a 100-metre penalty and goal, the Lions going on to ...

Dunkley was the Lions' best at the coalface, with a game-high 14 contested possessions, while Gunston had limited supply, finishing with two goals from nine touches. Port's third-quarter run was aided by a clumsy score review, where Lachie Jones was awarded a goal when his close-range toe poke appeared to come off Harris Andrews' thigh. Rioli also pulled off a dubious hanger over Harris Andrews, with the ball clearly not being controlled and hitting the ground yet the umpire paid the mark. Ashcroft started slow but worked his way into the game with a classy goal to finish with 13 disposals. Horne-Francis capped the term by tackling Hugh McCluggage, who went without a disposal in the quarter, for holding the ball, before finding an open Dixon who kicked truly. Junior Rioli was Port's other big off-season addition alongside Horne-Francis and he was a key player in the first half, with two goals, 10 disposals and six score involvements.