MELBOURNE’S misery on the road has continued with a 29-point loss to Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Sunday.

The Power led by just 10 points at the main change after a tight first half, but piled on seven goals to the Demons’ three in the third quarter to increase the margin to 36 points at three-quarter time.

The Dees added some respectability on the scoreboard, with three goals in the final term but the damage had already been done and the home side ran out comfortable winners 17.10 (112) to 11.17 (83).

Enigmatic forward Liam Jurrah did his best to ignite the visitors, kicking four goals and hauling in one of the marks of the season.

St Kilda utility Brendon Goddard appeared to have claimed mark of the year, with his big grab against Richmond at Etihad Stadium on Saturday, but Jurrah may have snatched the car keys from Goddard’s grasp when he flew over the head of teammate Jack Watts.

Cameron Bruce (39 disposals) escaped Kane Cornes’ grasp, while retiring skipper James McDonald picked up 27 touches and laid 10 tackles in his 250th game.

The Demons hadn’t won at AAMI Stadium in nine years heading into Sunday’s clash, but started brightly against Port Adelaide, kicking two of the opening three goals.

The visitors had opportunities to go further ahead on the scoreboard, but couldn’t convert and added another six behinds for the term.

The Power assumed control midway through the term and consecutive goals to Travis Boak and Danyle Pearce put the home side two points ahead at the first change.

The wasteful Dees continued to over-possess the ball in the second term, making life difficult for their forwards.

Melbourne refused to give in, but failed to get the margin back into single digits and the Power set up the win with a dominant third-quarter performance.

Port Adelaide    3.2   8.2   15.6   17.10 (112)
Melbourne        2.6   5.10  8.11  11.17 (83)

GOALS
Port Adelaide: Schulz 5, Boak 3, Gray 3, Pearce, Thomas, Broadbent, Hitchcock, D. Stewart, P. Stewart
Melbourne: Jurrah 4, Wonaeamirri 2, Watts, Dunn, McDonald, Green, Scully
   
BEST
Port Adelaide: Boak, Cassisi, Pearce, Schulz, Brogan, Gray, Rodan, Carlile
Melbourne: Bruce, McDonald, Jurrah, Morton, Frawley, Scully, Trengove,
 
INJURIES

Port Adelaide: Ebert (knee)
 
Melbourne: Colin Sylvia (unknown) replaced in selected side by Rohan Bail
 
Reports: Nil

Umpires: McLaren, Hay, Mollison
Official crowd: 21,086 at AAMI Stadium


The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs