After leading for most of the opening three quarters, St Kilda has been outclassed in the final term to go down by 33-points against a fast finishing Port Adelaide on Easter Sunday at Adelaide Oval.

The Saints led at each of the first three breaks and went into the final quarter with a one-goal lead, before Ken Hinkley’s side ran away with the four premiership points, booting six goals to zero in the last quarter to end what had been an impressive start to the season for St Kilda.

Mav Weller reacts after kicking a goal in the first quarter 

In the lead up to the Saints’ opening game of the season, the message from Alan Richardson was clear: pressure and effort were the minimum requirements he demanded. And that’s exactly what he got for three quarters, before a more experienced Power outfit seized the ascendancy.

Three goals in less than two minutes halfway through the third stanza from David Armitage, Jack Lonie and Josh Bruce opened a 20 point advantage. But that’s where the scoring ceased for the visitors, with Port Adelaide booting the next nine to put the game to bed.  

After being handed the No. 1 ruck role, Tom Hickey emphatically grasped the opportunity with both hands, producing the best performance of his 42 game career to make his intentions clear in 2016.

The former Gold Coast Sun was clinical with his ruckwork, sending many of his 56 hit outs down the throats of the Saints midfield, to lead his side to a comprehensive win in the clearance count (66-40), as well as being clean with his 20 disposals.

Star midfield duo Jack Steven and David Armitage picked up where they left off last year, benefiting greatly from Hickey’s ruck craft to take it right up to a more highly fancied midfield department comprising an array of All Australians.

Reigning Trevor Barker Award winner Steven collected 36 possessions first up, to go with eight inside 50s and seven clearances in a stunning start to 2016. Whilst Armitage was prolific also, accumulating 28 possessions, 19 contested possessions and 14 clearances as he got his hands dirty.

Best and Fairest winner Jack Steven was outstanding with 36 disposals. 

Richardson’s side took the game right up to the Power in the opening half, with their frenetic harassment of the opposition creating a plethora of turnovers through the middle of the ground, resulting in four goals from direct turnovers. Richardson’s message had clearly sunk in.

With 43, 807 fans crammed into South Australia’s sporting capital, many eyes were firmly fixed on their marquee acquisition Charlie Dixon. The powerhouse forward commanded the lion share of forward 50 entries for the Power, but Sam Fisher trailed him around like a caravan, nullifying his influence for three quarters before he benefited from Port Adelaide’s final term dominance.

As he has done for more than a decade, Leigh Montagna covered plenty of territory on the wide expanses of Adelaide Oval. In his 250th appearance, the star midfielder finished with 29 possessions to produce another dependable performance.

On the back of strong summers on the track, emerging midfielders Jack Newnes (26 possessions) and Seb Ross (30 possessions) carried that momentum into the opening clash of the season, with the pair starting impressively against a star-studded Port Adelaide engine room.

Despite only narrowly losing the inside 50 count 61-58, St Kilda will rue their poor forward entry usage, with Nick Riewoldt and Josh Bruce receiving average delivery inside 50.

Livewire forward Jack Lonie was dangerous at the drop of the ball, finishing with three majors, whilst his partner in attack Jack Billings was encouraging in his return game from injury, collecting 22 disposals and seven inside 50s.

After appearing on track for victory and stunning a parochial home crowd for most of the afternoon, St Kilda departs South Australia with plenty of positives despite coming away without the points.

PORT ADELAIDE    4.1  9.2  13.9   20.13   (133)
ST KILDA               4.4  9.8   14.9   15.10  (100)
 
GOALS
Port Adelaide: R.Gray 4, Ebert 3, Wingard 3, Dixon 3, Westhoff 2, Boak, Broadbent, Schulz, Wines, Ah Chee
St Kilda: Lonie 3, Weller 2, Bruce 2, Riewoldt 2, Gresham, Steven, Gilbert, Newnes, Acres, Armitage
 
BEST 
St Kilda: Steven, Hickey, Armitage, Ross, Weller, Newnes, Montagna, Fisher.
 
Official crowd: 43,807 at Adelaide Oval