Choco re-asserts control

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Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams believes the Power's recent commitment to re-sign him for two years contributed to the players' improved performance against Brisbane at AAMI Stadium on Saturday.

Beaten convincingly by the Bulldogs and the Cats in the past two rounds and inconsistent throughout 2009, the Power produced one of their best efforts this year to beat the Lions by 48 points.

Williams said the club's decision to strike a deal had influenced the squad.

"It could have been, today, someone else coaching the side, that's a fact. So for the players they're not quite sure what the hell is going on so now they are much more confident of the way ahead," he said.

"They know I am in charge and they better listen to me or they won't be playing."

But the 2004 premiership coach didn't take all the credit for the result with his support team stepping up in a busy week down at Alberton.

"To be fair I had a few things on this week so I'd like to thank the assistant coaches - they've been outstanding, the preparation, our forward scout in Melbourne, the game was definitely set up by those guys' attention to detail as I was in press conference after press conference," he said.

"It was a bit distracting for me that's for sure."

And ultimately the players and their positive approach from the opening bounce saw them register their seventh win for the season.

"We did turn over the ball a little bit but there was no doubt we were taking it to them, we weren't going to sit back and play boring football," Williams said.

"A little bit of it is you'd rather live by the sword and die by the sword than sit there and have stones thrown at you."

"In the rooms there is a lot of exhausted and sore bodies but very happy we've still got a chance of making the eight but it's a very difficult year and a very close year and to win like that was fantastic for our supporters."