IT’S ONLY Round 1 and it was only four premiership points but it might as well have been a final and Port Adelaide will be shattered at letting it slip to Fremantle.

Without their ruckman, with five players having barely played all pre-season and facing a brutal opening month which includes playing both last year’s grand finalists, the Power almost pinched a win in Perth first-up.

They had their chances but three-and-a-half quarters of hard work came undone in two minutes in the final term when a crucial turnover and clumsy free kick allowed the Dockers back-to-back goals and a seven-point victory.

The game was played at breakneck speed and for the most part, Port Adelaide’s set the pace.

Their pressure was manic and tackling ruthless which appears the latest weapon in their arsenal.

The Power had 32-11 tackles in the first half and finished with 73-41 led superbly by Robbie Gray, Ollie Wines and Paddy Ryder.

Wines in particular made two huge tackles in the second half and coolly slotted two goals in a brilliant performance.

Without a typically dominant performance from Travis Boak - who had to contend with Clancee Pearce as the tag for most of the night - or Robbie Gray, Port’s attack came from half back.

Jack Hombsch, Tom Jonas, Jarman Impey, Jasper Pittard, Jackson Trengove and even Alipate Carlile turned defence into attack.

Carlile did a good job on Matthew Pavlich but when he was subbed out the Fremantle skipper turned match-winner with two final term goals while at the other end Port’s talls didn’t have the same impact.

Impey was outstanding on Hayden Ballantyne keeping him to one goal for the match and Kane Cornes blanketed Stephen Hill for most of the match.

Much of the pre-game focus was on Paddy Ryder’s debut for Port Adelaide and it took a twist before the first bounce when Matthew Lobbe pulled out with a sore quad.

After a mostly underwhelming first half, Ryder came to live in the third quarter.

At one point he stood his ground, drew heavy contact from Lee Spurr but recovered, won the footy at ground level and got it to Chad Wingard who kicked the goal.

Ryder finished with 12 disposals but best to judge him when Lobbe is back in the side and after at least a month of footy with his new team.

A key to Port Adelaide’s game was knowing when to attack and when to be patient.

If an option wasn’t on they were prepared to back their field kicking and chip it around but if there was half a chance they were in position they played on without hesitation.

Wines’ bullocking work combined with Matthew Broadbent, Jared Polec and Brad Ebert’s run and creativity was a highlight, and Gray stood up in a frantic final term.

But they struggled to break through Fremantle’s defence. Port had three talls in John Butcher, Jay Schulz and Justin Westhoff but they kicked only two goals between them while Pavlich was the difference at the other end.

Nat Fyfe also gave Port plenty of headaches with a strong body around the stoppages then a marking option up forward.

FREMANTLE 11.9 (75)

PORT ADELAIDE 10.8 (68)

BEST - Fremantle: Fyfe, Pavlich, D. Pearce, Spurr, McPharlin, Mundy. Port Adelaide: Wines, Trengove, Ebert, Impey, Polec, Gray.

GOALS - Port Adelaide: Wines, Wingard 2, Butcher, White, Neade, Ebert, Schulz, Boak. Fremantle: Pavlich 4, D. Pearce, Ballantyne 2, Walters, Fyfe, Neale.

UMPIRES - N. Foot, D. Margetts, S, Meredith.

CROWD - 34,099 at Subiaco Oval.