PORT Adelaide has notched a brilliant victory in Ken Hinkley's maiden match in charge, on a day of horror for a horrible Melbourne.

The Demons started their season in the worst possible style, comprehensively thumped at the MCG on Sunday.

The Dees capitulated in the third quarter, scoring just one behind as the Power piled on five goals to take a 64-point buffer into the last change.

The visitors were unchallenged throughout the second half, skipping away to a 19.19 (133) to 8.6 (54) victory.

The insipid performance mirrored Mark Neeld's first game in charge last year, when the Demons capitulated against the Brisbane Lions in round one.

Sunday's performance was even worse.

"We didn't see that coming," Neeld said after the game.

"Our execution was poor and Port Adelaide was able to captialise significantly on that. Once that happened it was clear to everyone at the ground that our confidence dropped unbelievably."

The carnage wasn't just restricted to the scoreboard, with Mitch Clark limping off in pain with an ankle injury in the third quarter.

While he started on the field in the last, he was soon subbed off, with the club confirming he has a rolled ankle.

Demon co-captain Jack Grimes agreed the Demons were shellshocked by what took place.

"We are. It's a pretty good way to sum it up I reckon," Grimes said.

"We are all in this together. We feel like we let the supporters down most of all, and we're frustrated.

"There's a lot of guys that probably have to have a good hard look at themselves but we'll stick together through it."

The Power set the tone in the first quarter, leaping out to a 21-point lead before the Demons worried the score-keepers.

Clark was the only threatening forward, kicking two goals in the opening term to signal his return from a serious foot injury.

He was one of two Demons to receive rounds of applause as they went to the bench, along with debutant Jack Viney, who was possibly the best Demon on the ground in his first game.

Despite the wet weather, the high flyers were out in force.

The usual suspects were at it, with Jeremy Howe taking his first hanger of 2013.

But it was Jay Schultz that took the cake, with a monster grab on the goal linethat was sent to video review. Amid some controversy the mark was paid, even though Schultz appeared to take the ball across the line.

Port took a 29-point buffer into half-time, and the Demons looked out on their feet in the third quarter.

The Power forwards took advantage, running rings around the Dees' defence, with goals to Monfries, Wines, Schultz and Cornes sending the margin out to 64 points.

"I thought that our intensity for that period of time, even at the start of the quarter in the coaches' box, we had a lot of the ball where we needed it and were playing the games on our terms," Hinkley said on Sunday.

"The pressure that we were applying we weren't quite getting the result on the scoreboard we were looking for, but because they kept it, by the end, clearly they got that result.'

"I think constant pressure builds and once you keep building it up, at some stage, there's going to be a little break somewhere."

Hamish Hartlett was unstoppable, with 21 possessions and two goals to three-quarter time.

Viney and Jack Grimes tried hard all day for the Demons, but the team was met with chorus of boos at the last change.

In contrast, a Port Adelaide chant echoed around the MCG as the Power continued its rout in the final term, leaving Demons fans shaking their heads.