A STORMING third quarter come-back from Carlton has not been enough to snatch victory over Port Adelaide, with the brave Blues going down by 23 points to the Power at AAMI Stadium.

The Blues trailed by 44 points early in the third quarter, but slammed on eight goals to none – including four to Brendan Fevola – to lead by three points at three-quarter time.

A six goal to two last quarter from the Power was enough to seal the game for the raging pre-match favourites, but they left it a while, with the Blues still within 10 points 24 minutes into the final term before Port scored the last two goals of the game.

Youngster Justin Westhoff bagged four goals for Port, while Fevola finished with four for the Blues. Brad Fisher ended with three, while hard working acting captain Kade Simpson scored two.

Simpson (20 possessions, seven inside 50s) was inspirational for the Blues, running himself into the ground for his side, while Heath Scotland amassed 29 possessions and Jarrad Waite took 11 marks in defence to hold the Power up time and again.

Jordan Bannister also did a fine job tagging Chad Cornes, restricting the Port champion to just 18 possessions while picking up 14 himself.

For Port, youngster Travis Boak (28 touches, 2 goals) had an outstanding game, and will be in the running for a Rising Star nomination, while Kane Cornes continued to find plenty of the ball, with 33 possessions.

The match started slowly, with an uninspiring 10 minute feeling out period where it was more like circle work than an AFL game.

After that Port wrested control, to lead by four goals at quarter-time, but when Carlton scored the first two goals of the second term they looked like mounting a challenge.

That resistance was seemingly short-lived, however, with the Power then slamming on five goals in 10 minutes to run away to an eventual 37-point half-time lead.

A goal soon after the re-start stretched the margin out 44 points before the Carlton onslaught began.

Carlton now meet Essendon at the MCG next Saturday afternoon.

PORT ADELAIDE 4.3 10.7 11.11 17.14 (116)
CARLTON 0.3 4.6 12.8 14.9 (93)

Goals
Port Adelaide: J Westhoff 4 S Burgoyne D Motlop T Boak K Cornes 2 B Ebert B Lade A Thomson D Cassisi M Wilson.
Carlton: B Fevola 4 K Simpson 3 B Fisher 2 J Saddington S O'hAilpin E Betts J Waite A Carrazzo.

Best
Port Adelaide: K Cornes M Wilson S Burgoyne J Westhoff B Lade D Cassisi T Boak.
Carlton: K Simpson H Scotland J Waite B Fisher B Fevola.

Injuries
Port Adelaide: Nil.
Carlton: R Houlihan (corked thigh).

Umpires: L Farmer D Margetts R Chamberlain.

Official crowd: 27,603 at AAMI Stadium.