Port Adelaide ruckman Patrick Ryder reveals the motivation behind the Power’s comeback win against West Coast in Perth

PORT Adelaide ruckman Patrick Ryder labels the Power’s away win against West Coast as a “significant” response from a player group under pressure — and has explained the motivation behind it.

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PORT Adelaide lead ruckman Patrick Ryder is labelling the Power’s away win against West Coast as “significant” response from a player group under pressure.

And Ryder adds it was the players’ answer to the challenge set by coach Ken Hinkley rather than the pundits questioning the Power’s status in this year’s AFL premiership race.

“Ken put it on us (asking) when are we actually going to come through with a win in these games,” said Ryder of the Power’s eight-goal, last-quarter surge that broke the three quarter-time deadlock.

“We wanted to do it.”

Port Adelaide’s 32-point win — which lifts the Power to fourth spot with a 9-6 win-loss record — was built amid questions of the team’s right to be seen as a contender, when it had not beaten a top-eight ranked side. The round began with West Coast ranked seventh.

“It’s good that we’ve done it,” said Ryder after his 40 hitout, 20-touch game. “The guys take a lot of confidence out of that win.

“At the end of the game, the guys had a spring in their step — and they’ve been rewarded for the hard work. We know we can do it (against top-ranked opponents) ... and that is significant.”

Also inspiring the Power players — who came back from a four-goal deficit midway through the second term — was the 150th milestone for comeback wingman Matthew White and the AFL start of midfielder Joe Atley.

“We wanted to send those guys off with a win,” Ryder said. “And it is good that we have done it.”

Port Adelaide returns to Adelaide Oval on Saturday to play the 17th-ranked North Melbourne (4-11) with the mission of ending a two-year absence from the top-eight finals in September now more realistic.

Ryder’s return to the Port Adelaide line-up — after a year on the sidelines to serve a WADA-imposed ban from the 2012 Essendon supplements saga — has become a major factor in the Power’s revival.

Hinkley is grading Ryder as the AFL’s best ruckman, worthy of his first All-Australian nomination.

“He’s the best ruckman in the competition and we’re lucky to have him in the team this year,” Hinkley said. “He’s dominating games week in, week out.

“He’s had a significant impact, having had a year off football.

“He’s a pretty special player. I love him, I can’t help that.”

Ryder’s figures are career-best for disposals and hit-outs with a plus-30 average.

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