PORT Adelaide has survived an almighty scare from Melbourne, triumphing at Traeger Park in Alice Springs by 20 points.
The Power skipped two games clear atop the ladder with the 14.11 (95) to 11.9 (75) victory, and will remain there at the end of round 11 unless Gold Coast upset Adelaide on Sunday.
Justin Westhoff kicked two clutch goals in the final quarter as the inaugural regular-season match in Alice Springs lived up to its billing, the never-say-die Demons showing just how far they've come under Paul Roos.
Chad Wingard was knocked out early in the second half as the Power struggled to assert themselves over the feisty Demons.
Wingard, who had been blanketed by Jack Grimes in the first half, was knocked out by the trailing leg of Jay Schulz in the third quarter as Schulz attempted a spectacular mark.
The star forward was stretchered from the ground as play was suspended for a few minutes and, while an ambulance was called, Wingard was able to recover enough to walk around the change-rooms as Andrew Moore was substituted into the game.
The Power were quickest out of the blocks, kicking five goals to one in the opening term, as Jay Schulz and Matt White slotted classy goals in the Northern Territory heat.
But the Demons hit back in the second quarter as another brilliant game from Dom Tyson, who finished with 30 disposals and two goals, dragged them back into the contest.
Kane Cornes (30 disposals) was again impressive for the sluggish Power, as was skipper Travis Boak.
Tyson had plenty of support from Nathan Jones and Bernie Vince in the midfield with James Frawley and Rohan Bail providing targets up forward.
In what was a physical and at-times heated affair, opposing ruckmen Mark Jamar and Matthew Lobbe set the tone early.
The pair grappled off the ball often in the first quarter, replays showing Jamar throwing a haymaker that failed to connect.
Port on-ballers Boak and Matt White suffered leg injuries in the first half but played through the pain, while Neville Jetta had the wind knocked out of him by a late spoil from Schulz.
Boak (28 disposals and one goal) was among Port's best, while Melbourne's Jeremy Howe impressed on the half-back line and clutched a screamer in the final quarter.
MELBOURNE 2.2 7.4 10.5 11.9 (75)
PORT ADELAIDE 5.4 8.4 10.9 14.11 (95)
GOALS
Melbourne: Frawley 2, Bail 2, Pedersen 2, Tyson 2, Salem 2, Gawn,
Port Adelaide: Schulz 2, Gray 2, Westhoff 2, White, Neade, Mitchell, Young, Boak, Ebert, Polec, Wines
BEST
Melbourne: Tyson, M.Jones, N.Jones, Vince, Howe, Dunn, McDonald
Port Adelaide: Gray, Broadbent, Boak, Impey, Cornes, Westhoff
INJURIES
Melbourne: Nil
Port Adelaide: Wingard (concussion)
SUBSTITUTES
Melbourne: Jimmy Toumpas replaced Max Gawn in the third quarter
Port Adelaide: Andrew Moore replaced Chad Wingard in the third quarter
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Dalgleish, Schmitt, Foot
Official crowd: 5,655 at the Traeger Park
