PORT Adelaide has snapped a five-game losing streak and responded to last week's heavy loss to Essendon with a 28-point win over Melbourne at TIO Stadium in Darwin on Saturday night.

On a disappointing night for the Demons, Melbourne forward Jeremy Howe might have earned a fifth nomination for mark of the year with a huge third quarter pack grab.

But that's where the highlights ended for Melbourne, with the Power surging to a 12.12 (84) to 8.8 (56) win after the Demons managed just 3.8 after quarter-time.

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Early in the opening quarter, it was a tale of two forwards with Brad Green and Paul Stewart contributing two goals each.

Stewart ended with five goals - a personal best effort in his 60 games.

It was the Demons who fired early with Jared Rivers, Stefan Martin and Colin Sylvia kicking unanswered goals to set up a 13-point lead at quarter-time.

The Power went into the second having lost Jasper Pittard - in his first game for the season - to broken ribs from a collision with Chad Wingard.

The two flew for a marking contest with Neville Jetta and Wingard drove his knee into Pittard's torso. He was helped from the field before being taken to hospital.

Pittard took to Twitter as his teammates fought out the fourth quarter to assure fans he was OK.

"Thanks to everyone for the messages, much appreciated. In the hospital bed, feeling a lot better, hope the boys push on for a good win!" Pittard said.

Power coach Matthew Primus said he hoped it wouldn't signal the end of Pittard's season with the early diagnosis a suspected rib fracture and bleeding in the lungs.
 
"It was super courageous. He hasn't had a great run this year with soft tissue injuries," coach Matthew Primus said.
 
"They'll just keep him under observation and make sure it doesn't bleed too much.
 
"We'll probably miss him for a couple of weeks but the courage to keep his eye on the ball was terrific for his first game back in.
 
"Hopefully it's not the season for him and we can get him back out there towards the end of the year."

The Power, after struggling for accuracy in the first, nailed the opening two goals of the second through Daniel Stewart and Travis Boak.

They added one more for the quarter while the Demons managed just one behind, which came from a set shot by Green after the siren.

Conditions became slippery after half-time but Power goaled within two minutes, which pushed their lead to 15 points.

The Howe mark was Melbourne's highlight amidst a non-functioning forward structure, but the Demons kept themselves in the contest with goals to Rivers and Sam Blease.

The Power led by 11 points at the final change, and with a four-goal-to-one fourth quarter, won their second game in the Top End in six tries.

Melbourne coach Mark Neeld said his team needed to work on the little things in order to progress.
 
"There were a whole heap of areas we were pleased with and obviously there were a few we weren't pleased with," Neeld said.
 
"The disposals were relatively even, clearances were even, we tackled well all evening.
 
"I just said to the boys about as we move forward how important it is to use the footy well.
 
"We talk about having attention to detail … there's no too many games we're going to play in I wouldn't have thought where you can have pretty much an even disposal count, an even clearance count, 10 more inside 50s and a whole heap more tackles and lose."

MELBOURNE         5.0    5.1     7.5     8.8 (56)
PORT ADELAIDE  2.5   5.10   8.10   12.12 (84)           

GOALS?
Melbourne: Green 2, Rivers 2, Martin, Sylvia, Blease, Jones
Port Adelaide: P. Stewart 5, D. Stewart, Boak, Brett Ebert, Broadbent, Young, Lobbe, Wingard

BEST
Melbourne: Grimes, Green, Trengove, Jones, Nicholson
Port Adelaide: Boak, P. Stewart, Cassisi, Brad Ebert, Westhoff

INJURIES
Melbourne: Nil
Port Adelaide: Pittard (ribs/lung), McCarthy (blood nose)

SUBSTITUTES
Melbourne: Magner replaced in the third quarter by Strauss?
Port Adelaide: Pittard (ribs/lung) replaced at quarter time by Young

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Dalgleish, Hosking, Kamolins

Official crowd: 6714 at TIO Stadium

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