PORT ADELAIDE has suffered a 22-point loss to Essendon in a disappointing finish to its 2018 season.
The Power trailed by 33-points at Adelaide Oval after a poor first quarter and apart from a second quarter fightback, could never catch the visitors.
The Power had won four of the five meetings between the sides on a Friday night but hadn’t beaten the Bombers since Round 3, 2016.
Ruckman Billy Frampton, making his AFL debut, started in the forward line as a tall target but the 21-year-old moved into the ruck within two minutes to provide a chop out for former Bomber Paddy Ryder.
The Power’s season was on the line, with a slight chance of making the finals with a win and a defeat to Geelong tomorrow but what eventuated was a terrible first quarter.
The Bombers recorded their highest scoring first quarter of the season and the highest score against Port Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval in the AFL era.
They booted six goals to one and wasted numerous opportunities with Port’s few highlights including a big mark in defence to Dougal Howard and a calm set shot finish from 40 metres out by young forward Kane Farrell after marking on the lead.
The Power lifted its intensity in the second term with skipper Travis Boak and star Chad Wingard starting to win the clearances.
The home side had the first four goals of the term to close to within nine points with Jared Polec dominant across the park.
But all the hard work was undone in a four-minute period just before half time when the Power conceded three quick goals, the first to Dyson Heppell after a missed holding the ball call.
Frampton took a strong late mark but sprayed his set shot, and Sam Gray missed another late opportunity, leaving the Power trailing by 25 points at the main break.
Whatever hope the Power had of mounting another comeback was snuffed out pretty quickly with a free kick followed by a controversial 50 metre penalty handing the Bombers the first goal of the quarter.
They then piled on four of the next six goals to open up a 44-point lead.
Brad Ebert booted his second of the game after receiving a free kick for a push in the back and Frampton booted the first goal of his career after a strong mark on the lead, receiving a strong reception from his teammates and the 39,168 strong crowd.
The reliable Justin Westhoff booted two in the quarter to take his tally to three, the last one the best, snapping around his body from 50 metres out in congestion to create something out of nothing.
The out-of-contract veteran had his fourth major after a high tackle 40 metres out from goal in the fourth quarter to showcase his worth to the side.
The 31-year-old added a fifth after a strong mark in a pack at the top of the goal square.
When he marked inside 50 with ten minutes to play it looked like he might add a sixth but he passed off for Ryder to slot his first of the night and close the margin to 17 points.
With Ryder dominating in the ruck in the absence of opposing ruckman Matthew Leuenberger, who went off injured early in the third term, the Power was getting on top but a tumbled goal to Kyle Langford – his third of the night – ended the hopes of a fightback by the home side.
A late goal to Boak under immense pressure was merely a consolation as the Power’s season ended in disappointing fashion.
It was the Bombers’ fifth win away from Victoria from six games and a result to send off veteran Brendon Goddard in his final game for the club.
SCOREBOARD
PORT ADELAIDE 1.1 5.6 9.7 13.11 (89)
ESSENDON 6.4 9.7 15.8 17.9 (111)
Goals
Westhoff 5, Ebert 2, Polec, Farrell, Frampton, R. Gray, Ryder, Boak
Best
Westhoff, Polec, Ebert, Boak, Frampton, Lienert, Wingard
Crowd
39,168 at Adelaide Oval
