IT was an exciting start to the inaugural AFLX tournament in Adelaide, with Port Adelaide taking on Geelong at Coopers Stadium in the first match.

A reasonable crowd flocked in after work on Thursday evening to see Riley Bonner make history by kicking the competition’s first 10-point ‘Zooper Goal’.

A variety of rule changes to the traditional game meant the game was played at a breakneck speed, with next to no stoppages occurring throughout.

Bonner, Sam Gray, Dom Barry and Jack Watts all kicked goals in the first clash, as the Power went down to the Cats by 12 points.

Port’s second game of the tournament was against Fremantle – less than two hours later.

The Dockers shot out of the blocks early to lead by 12 points, two minutes into the first half, before a 10-pointer from Amon and a captain’s goal from Watts put the Power within two points at the break.

Dan Houston and Kane Farrell both kicked goals for Port in the second half, but it wasn’t enough as the Dockers ran out 17-point victors.

Port Adelaide Assistant Coach Matthew Nicks said it’s an extremely fast version of the game, and it was exciting to see the different styles the two opponents brought tonight. 

“Geelong came out and played a different style to what Fremantle brought in the second game,” Nicks told reporters on Thursday night.

“It’s an exciting game. It was a good challenge and our guys will learn a lot from tonight.

“Despite not winning a game, I thought we played some good footy throughout.”

The Power took plenty of positives from the exciting AFLX tournament, with Barry, Watts, Farrell, Joel Garner, Jack Trengove, Jake Patmore, all pulling on the Power guernsey for the first time against outside opposition.

Port Adelaide play their next competitive fixture against West Coast at Leederville Oval in Perth, when the JLT series begins next weekend.

SCOREBOARD

AFLX GAME 1
PORT ADELAIDE           5.1.4 (60)
GEELONG                      3.6.6 (72)


AFLX GAME 2
PORT ADELAIDE           2.2.5 (37)
FREMANTLE                 3.4.4 (54)

Injuries
Nil

Crowd
10,253 at Coopers Stadium

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