The hard-working Kangaroos spoiled what had shaped as Port Adelaide's round one AFL party by charging to a 41-point victory at AAMI Stadium on Saturday night.

The Power twice led by four goals in the early stages, but fell away badly in the face of Kangaroos diligence spiced with brilliance from Daniel Wells, the Roos winning 19.14 (128) to 13.9 (87).

On a night when Port's Gavin Wanganeen became the first aboriginal player to pass 300 games, indigenous Kangaroo Wells played a magical, four-goal game to put the visitors clear.

The Roos were also well aided by skipper Adam Simpson, Brady Rawlings, Daniel Pratt, third-game ruckman Hamish McIntosh, and a eye-catching debutant Joshua Gibson.

Kane Cornes, Michael Wilson, Shaun Burgoyne and Domenic Cassisi were all prominent for the Power, which was crippled after quarter- time by over-possession and costly turnovers.

A favourable free kick count also helped the Kangaroos, and was not appreciated by the crowd of 27,680.

Saverio Rocca was lost to the Roos before the start with a virus, his place taken by small forward Cameron Thurley, who played usefully.

The match began with festivities to mark Wanganeen's milestone and Port's 10th season in the AFL, and the Power was given a celebratory beginning when ex-Roo Daniel Motlop turned opponent Michael Ferrito in the goal square to register a major in the first minute.

Lade soon followed up with two more, and when Kane Cornes then Damon White converted from short range Port was up by 24 points after only 14 minutes.

However the momentum was not sustained, with Leigh Brown's booming set shot and Glenn Archer's conversion of a holding the ball free against Peter Burgoyne ensuring the visitors trailed by only two goals at the first break.

White's second goal put Port back to a 20-point buffer early in the second quarter, but the mood of the game was swiftly changed by Wells.

First, he produced a cool goal on the run from 50m, then a minute later roved classically to nab another and put the Roos within eight.

Inspired by Wells, the Roos' surge was perpetuated by Simpson's tireless work in the middle, and further goals to Drew Petrie and Nathan Thompson brought them level.

Brett Ebert briefly retrieved the lead for Port after winning a 50m penalty, but Corey Jones' accomplished finish from the pocket and later miss meant the Roos enjoyed the narrowest of leads at the half.

Wells continued to terrorise Port's defence in term three, finding himself in the right place at the right time twice in the first five minutes to stretch the Kangaroos lead beyond two goals.

Port regrouped somewhat with majors to Ebert and White, but it proved a false dawn as further turnovers and a quartet of set shots from Jones, Brent Harvey, Leigh Harding and Shannon Grant all sailed through to place the Roos in a commanding position at the last change.

Grant bobbed up again to kick a vital first goal of the final term, and it proved enough to absorb the Power's final challenge.

Lade missed a chance to put Port within two goals entering time on, and Brown's subsequent running shot put the seal on a scene-stealing win for the Roos.

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