PORT Adelaide coach Lauren Arnell was certainly a happy camper yesterday afternoon after her side picked up its first win of 2023 with a come from behind win over St Kilda.

“I Certainly am,” Arnell said.

“[We] obviously had a strong fixture in Round 1 and 2 playing the Crows and the Lions. The response from the group and to get our first away win as an expansion team in our second season is really exciting, and it’s probably not just the result, it’s the way we went about it. I’m really proud of the group.”

Not only was it Port’s first win of 2023, but it was the Power’s first ever win on the road and first win against a non fellow expansion side. Arnell was certainly excited about the achievement.

“Just the feeling of winning,” she said. “Obviously it’s been a couple of years since I played, but just having the girls feel that in this moment post game after a win is always the best.”

“You know, it can be really challenging coming into this, we came in at season seven as an expansion team and competing with really experienced bodies, and as I mentioned Round 1 and Round 2 probably two of the best teams that have been going around since day one.

“So to be able to show a fair bit of resilience off the back of that, stick to the plan today when we were under pressure, particularly at three quarter time, really pleased for the group. So proud of them and happy that they can have that feeling right now and build on that.”

Port Adelaide ultimately ran over the top of the Saints in the last term, and Arnell said that had three quarter time her message at the final change was about pressure and belief.

“We knew that today was going to be really hot at the contest,” she said. “I think both teams’ pressure factors was two or above for the whole game and every quarter time we checked in on that and it was just really about being able to sustain that, and the fitness base that we’ve spoke about since last year that we couldn’t generate in a small preseason.

“We put so much effort and time into that. So just putting belief into the group and understanding that we had to go to another level in that last quarter and also trust each other. I’m just so pleased for them.”

Arnell was also really pleased with how many different goal kickers her side had yesterday, with five different goal kickers contributing to the final tally of eight goals.

“I think that’s an indication of the offensive talent in our team,” she said. “8.8 in pretty nice conditions but also a little bit windy, that’s the kind of score line we want coming out of this game in 20 minute quarters.

“We don’t want to play a defensive brand, we want to be really hard at the contest like I mentioned, but opening up the game and looking to score I think was hopefully something that anyone that watched today and particularly our Port Adelaide people enjoyed.”