At three-quarter time on Saturday night, Paddy Ryder's return to an old stamping ground to take on his old side was one he probably preferred to put behind him. Thirty minutes later, it was the stuff of which he might have dreamt.

Ryder had just four possessions to his name at the last change. His next four would as good as deliver Port Adelaide victory over Essendon, much to the chagrin of the home fans, who'd expended much energy jeering Ryder every time he got near the ball.

Though he'd already kicked one goal, his second, an opportunistic toe poke, gave the Power just a hint of breathing space in a game which had see-sawed this way then that all evening.

Two minutes later, he repeated the dose with a superb snap over his shoulder to make it 15 points. Essendon kept coming, as they had all night, but then Ryder charged to the wing to take a diving mark, bounced to his feet and kicked long into space for Matt White to keep the Power's nose in front.

The coup de grace was delivered shortly after, when Ryder booted his fourth goal from a mark 40metres out to make it 14 points. It was three goals apiece from that moment, but a symbolic dagger had been plunged through the heart of a team that knew in the end the man who effectively sunk them might have been the difference. That shouldn't detract from what was one of Essendon's most spirited performances all season, one in which the youngsters finally invested with opportunity more than repaid the faith.

Highly rated draftees Kyle Langford and Jayden Laverde ended with four goals between them, some determined tackling and application of pressure, and moments of genuine inspiration. Nick O'Brien played by so far his best game for the Bombers that it wasn't funny, leading the Dons' possession count. And Alex Browne, older than the draftees but denied opportunity through ill-fortune more than anything else, booted a clutch goal in the final term.

Port in the end probably just had a few more older hands who contributed more than did their opposition, none the least skipper Travis Boak, whose 28 disposals, five centre clearances and couple of goals all seemed to come at precisely the right moment.

Robbie Gray and Ollie Wines won their touches also when most required. And near goal, the class of Chad Wingard and nous of Jay Schulz were able to combine for six goals.

Essendon fans used to reading the warning signs in this dark season would have started getting the jitters barely two minutes into the game when Port spearhead  Schulz was able to mark in at least 50metres of space and convert.

But the Dons several times in this game managed to hit back just when things were beginning to look grim, at one point even three goals up themselves. Even at this point, though, Bombers coach James Hird's decision to go again with only Shaun McKernan in the ruck was looking dicey, Port's ruck pair of Matthew Lobbe and every Bomber fan's favourite villain Ryder already getting on top.

That ruck dominance became even more pivotal as Port got right on top in just about every department during the second term.

It wasn't immediately reflected on the scoreboard, Michael Hurley restoring the earlier margin, but then Port clicked in a big way. The Power would slam on six of the next seven goals in a 14-minute burst a lot more reminiscent of their past couple of years than most of their football this season.

Lobbe himself booted the first, Wingard added his second, then little Jake Neade bobbed up with one of the goals of the season, ducking between two defenders, turning on a dime and snapping over his shoulder.

By the time he'd kicked his second eight minutes later, Port were 14 points up. And other key statistics were telling a grim story for the home team. The Power had a mortgage on the hit-outs, clearances, and significantly at Etihad Stadium, the centre clearances.

A series of Essendon misses just before the long break added the frustration. And when  Gray and Ryder had the first two of the third term, the lead was a game-high 20points.

That, however, was when the Bomber youngsters had their biggest impact. The Essendon of more recent times might have rolled over there and then. Laverde and Langford ensured there was plenty of fight left. Surely they are walk-up starts for the rest of this season. Port, meanwhile, should have been a walk-up start for this year's finals. That still looks highly unlikely, but perhaps the Power are about to make life difficult for a few more opponents yet.