THE WESTERN Bulldogs will take winning momentum into their mid-season break, after extending their streak to five matches with a 54-point victory over Port Adelaide at TIO Stadium in Darwin on Saturday night.

The Dogs, who now hold top spot on the ladder after their 12th win, set it up with a dominant second term that saw them overcome a determined Power and the Top End heat to triumph 20.15 (135) to 11.15 (81).

They claimed the win in convincing team-orientated style, using 11 goalkickers to boot more than 100 points for the 13th time this season.

Port Adelaide travelled with a depleted line-up, having lost five players to injury and choosing to omit two, but was buoyed by the late arrival of Kane Cornes who stayed in Adelaide on Friday for the birth of his son.

However, the absence of Peter Burgoyne, Steven Salopek, Chad Cornes, Travis Boak and Matt Thomas wounded the Power as they were outclassed by the in-form side.

Bulldog Jason Akermanis was terrific with four goals and a handstand, while Ryan Griffen was dynamic through the middle.

Brian Lake was strong in defence, keeping spearhead Warren Tredrea to two goals.

The only negatives came for the Dogs when two players suffered injuries in the fourth quarter, with Ryan Griffen and Scott Welsh both dislocating fingers.

Robert Murphy also left the ground with what appeared to be an ankle complaint.

The Power's best included Kane Cornes, who amassed 41 disposals, while David Rodan was busy with 24.

Robbie Gray tried hard with two goals and Nathan Lonie was serviceable in his first senior game of the year.

Port Adelaide was the more ferocious side in the first term, laying 14 tackles to the Bulldogs' eight and winning the clearances nine to five.

But some sharp-shooting by Dogs skipper Brad Johnson and solid rebounding from Ryan Hargrave and Lake saw them eight points clear at quarter time.

In the second, the Bulldogs upped their intensity, but the difference came through capitalising on their inside 50s.

At the end of the half, the sides were almost level on entries, yet the Dogs held a commanding 45-point lead after kicking eight goals to the Power's two.

Kane Cornes and Adam Cooney entered the rooms having engaged in an entertaining battle that saw the Power midfielder come away with 21 first-half touches to Cooney's 15.

Blanketed by Matthew Boyd for the majority of the half, the Power placed Shaun Burgoyne alongside Akermanis – who was doing party tricks up forward – in a bid to get him into the game.

However, the most Burgoyne saw of the ball was a flash of red when Akermanis twisted free to soccer a goal that kick-started a flurry of five to give the Dogs their handy half-time buffer.

The third was a high-scoring quarter as Port Adelaide began to make more of its forward opportunities. There were 10 goals kicked between the two sides, with the Power winning the term by a point to trail by 43 at the final change.

A streaker interrupted proceedings towards the end of the quarter, but Akermanis drew attention back to the game with a clever goal on the siren.

The Brownlow Medallist continued his brilliance to boot his fourth within the opening minute of the last term, and the Dogs were able to keep the Power to just two goals from then.

Both sides now have a week off with the Bulldogs to meet Melbourne at Telstra Dome on Sunday, July 13, and Port Adelaide to host North Melbourne at AAMI Stadium a night earlier.

Western Bulldogs     3.4   11.9   16.12   20.15 (135)
Port Adelaide     2.2   4.6   9.10   11.15 (81)

GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Akermanis 4, Johnson 3, Welsh 3, Griffen 2, Hill 2, Ray, Eagleton, Hahn, Giansiracusa, Gilbee, Boyd
Port Adelaide: Westhoff 2, Gray 2, Tredrea 2, Rodan, Thomson, Pettigrew, Brogan, Lonie

BEST
Western Bulldogs: Akermanis, Griffen, Johnson, Lake, Hargrave, Cross, Boyd
Port Adelaide: K. Cornes, Rodan, Cassisi, Gray, Thomson, Lonie

INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Griffen (finger), Welsh (finger)
Port Adelaide: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Ellis, Schmidt, Ryan

Official crowd: 11,373 at TIO Stadium

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