Port Adelaide have been dealt a nightmare triple injury blow during their loss to Brisbane on Saturday night.

The Power went down by 28 points in a hard-fought tussle, but will now be sweating on the severity of three injuries, including a potentially serious knee injury to Sam Powell-Pepper.

Young ruck Dante Visentini was the first to go down, suffering an ankle injury in the early stages, before key defender Esava Ratugolea joined him on the sidelines.

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Visentini landed awkwardly in a ruck contest and was immediately in discomfort.

The Power were forced to activate their sub and brought Hugh Jackson into the action, but quickly found themselves down another player midway through the quarter.

Ratugolea limped off and immediately had his head in his hands.

“He looks absolutely devastated,” commentator Alastair Lynch said.

Replays showed the key defender suffered a hamstring injury in a marking contest.

Ratugolea missed a match earlier this season after experiencing tightness in his hamstring.

But this latest blow will almost certainly see him spend multiple weeks on the sidelines.

The two game-ending injuries not only left the Power one player down, but also robbed them of considerable height.

Jordon Sweet was left to shoulder the bulk of the ruck battles, while in-form midfielder Miles Bergman was swung down back to help cover the loss of Ratugolea.

The Power had made a bright start with three of the first four goals, but it was all one-way traffic after that.

Brisbane quickly woke from their slumber and slammed on seven straight goals to open up a commanding 32-point lead at the first break.

But Port Adelaide showed some fight into the second term to reduce the margin to 21 points at half-time.

There was more carnage in the third quarter when Sam Powell-Pepper limped off with what looked like a serious knee injury.

The popular forward collapsed in a heap after his left leg buckled when he turned sharply.

He pushed doctors away and managed to walk from the field for further assessment.

Powell-Pepper missed nearly all of last year after rupturing his right ACL in Round 7.

The 27-year-old made a successful return to play every game this year before Saturday night’s blow.

He cut a dejected figure in the final term as the Lions held firm in a 28-point victory.

Victory kept Brisbane (11-4-1) in second place, while Port (7-9), with seven rounds to play, are running out of time to bridge the three-win gap between them and the top eight.

An 11-minute, six-goal blitz after a slow start to the first quarter and three quick goals after Powell-Pepper’s injury were enough for the hosts, who had come off the bye determined to improve their 4-3 Gabba record.

But it was the Power who started hotter, the 10th-placed side needing a scalp to climb the ladder.

Willie Rioli (three goals) and Mitch Georgiades (four goals) gave the visitors an early advantage, and Powell-Pepper had an immediate reply to Charlie Cameron’s (three goals) first major.

The Lions flicked the switch though, aggressive running and clean finishing by Zac Bailey (five goals, two assists, 26 disposals) triggering a brilliant offensive flourish.

Tackle pressure lifted and the Lions, guilty of poor accuracy in recent losses, couldn’t miss.

Eric Hipwood’s goal on the siren made it seven consecutive majors, and Josh Dunkley put them 38 points clear with the first strike of the second term.

Port had lost Visentini (ankle) and Ratugolea (hamstring) to complete the first-quarter carnage.

But they found a response, Jack Lukosius (three goals) ending the Lions’ run on his return from a long-term knee injury.

Gold Coast recruit Lukosius bombed two more huge majors from outside 50 metres as Port continued to rally from as far back as 40 points.

And when Georgiades managed a fourth, the margin was only 16 points with 12 minutes on the clock.

But Levi Ashcroft stubbed through a relieving major from close range that finally broke Port’s back.

Jaspa Fletcher continued his fine season in Brisbane’s defence, Hugh McCluggage had a goal and seven clearances in his 29 touches, Cameron led the forward-line defensive pressure, and Travis Boak (27) worked tirelessly for Port.

- With AAP