Port Adelaide genius Robbie Gray's match-winner against St Kilda could be a season-defining moment, coach Ken Hinkley says.
Gray pinched a two-point AFL win for Port with just seven seconds remaining against the Saints in Saturday's twilight fixture at Adelaide Oval.
Gray scored a goal on the run from 50m to deliver Port victory, 9.9 (63) to 8.13 (61).
Hinkley marvelled at the finish of Gray - and also the ruck tap from Paddy Ryder which carved space for the triple club champion.
"They can make seasons," Hinkley said of such moments.
Hinkley's charges appeared to have St Kilda's measure - in a low-scoring affair, the Power led by 14 points midway through the last quarter.
But the plucky Saints then booted four consecutive goals when Tim Membrey threaded his third for the match and the visitors were 10 points up with two minutes remaining.
Port's Aaron Young scrambled a goal before the heroics of Gray stunned St Kilda.
""We didn't get everything right," Saints coach Alan Richardson said of the defining stoppage.
"It's really important to have defensive cover in position and it's really important to make sure that you have got the best stoppage player in the game covered."
Gray's goal secured an 11th win of the season for Port, who remain in the top-four frame.
"We haven't felt that thrill, from that type of win, for a long, long time ... that's a pretty emotional win for us as a football club," Hinkley said.
And Hinkley had no intention of killing the buzz with the sobering thought of playing arch-rivals and ladder leaders Adelaide next Sunday.
"I'm not bringing them down," he said of his players.
"I'm sending them in there as confident as they have ever been hopefully."
Port were again well served by reliable onballer Ollie Wines (23 disposals), Jared Polec (30 touches) and Gray (27 possessions), while Hamish Hartlett and Jasper Pittard were in the thick of it defensively.
The Saints, who host West Coast next Sunday in another crunch game had a midfield with plenty of punch led by Seb Ross (31 possessions) and Luke Dunstan (27 touches).
And Jake Carlisle was superb in defence while Membrey was dangerous in attack.
"It's bloody hard to do," coach Richardson said.
"But if you can take out the last couple of minutes, the boys did a terrific job."
