PORT ADELAIDE has come away from Richmond Oval empty handed as it went down to West Adelaide by 27 points.
The game was in the balance up until deep in the final quarter when West ran over the top of Port.
The bout was made all more intriguing with the club’s AFLW team in attendance to watch assistant coaches Cam Sutcliffe and Hamish Hartlett going head-to-head.
It was all about the Bloods in the opening term, kicking with a heavy breeze towards the southern end.
It took only 80 seconds for West to kick the first, through Tom Keough, and the Magpies defence was struggling to hold up.
Riley Corbett and Hamish Ellem added to the Bloods’ tally and the margin was out to 18 points just minutes into the opening term.
Port eventually found its way into the contest, but missed the opportunities.
First through Dante Visentini who saw his checkside attempt go wide, before Anthony Wilson also fell short.
The Bloods added a further major through Josh Gore, before Port finally ended its drought.
Ethan Moore received a kick for holding the ball just in front of the goal square and despite a shaky kick, put it between the two big sticks.
West would again respond through Gore, but it was another Moore who would hit back for the Magpies, this time Nick.
The tackling machine turned goalkicker after marking just inside 50 and roosted it home to give his side a heartbeat after a tough opening quarter.
Port trailed by 17 points at the first change, but had the benefit of the breeze to start the term.
Rain lashed the two huddles at quarter-time before easing early in the second.
The Magpies peppered the ball inside 50 but the West defence was holding up.
Jake Weidemann and Nick Moore both missed opportunities, while two more balls were rushed.
The goal drought ended 20 minutes into the quarter, but it was West Adelaide who made the breakthrough, through Corbett with his second.
Gore added his third moments later and the Magpies looked in strife, trailing by 25 points deep in the quarter.
However, as all good captains do, Cam Sutcliffe stood up.
Nick Moore won the crumb off of Sam Hayes’ hit-out deep in the Magpies’ forward line to toe it towards goal, which was tapped home in a real poachers’ effort.
Port began to capitalise on its midfield dominance, as Jed McEntee was laced out and converted the set shot to cut the margin to 13 points.
The Magpies were on top in the hit-outs, clearances and inside 50s but were unable to capitalise.
The rain hit Richmond hard again during the third quarter as West wrestled momentum back with the wind.
Port started well, but forward entries and options missed cost it dearly.
Trent McKenzie missed wide from a shot from outside 50, before Nick Moore hit the post moments later.
The Bloods began to get on top and Jono Beech took full advantage with back-to-back goals which gave his side a 26-point advantage.
As the Magpies had done in earlier quarters, they responded late, and Anthony Wilson made the most of a ball dribbling across the line to tap one in, similar to Sutcliffe.
West pushed late for another, but was unable to, as it held a 22-point lead going into the last, but needing to defend against Port with the wind.
The Magpies won the first clearance and after a quick stoppage, Sam Mayes took aim at goal from 50 but missed to the right.
Moments later, Marty Frederick found himself at the back of a pack, marked and converted to cut it to 15 points.
Port’s momentum continued strong, as Dylan Williams was rewarded for a great tackle, handpassed to the running Trent McKenzie who unleashed the cannon and sent it home.
West would get one against the flow, Beech booted his third which gave it a 13-point lead at the 17-minute mark of the last.
The Bloods buried the match deep in the last through Corbett’s third and again through Jackson Edwards.
SCOREBOARD
Port Adelaide 2.3 4.7 5.9 7.12 (54)
West Adelaide 5.2 7.2 9.7 12.9 (81)
Port Adelaide
Goals: Frederick, McEntee, McKenzie, E. Moore, N. Moore, Sutcliffe, Wilson.
Best: McEntee, Lee, Mayes, McKenzie, Sutts, Hayes
