Under fine skies and warm conditions captain Dominic Cassisi won the toss and elected to kick to the southern end of AAMI Stadium.
Having emerged from a four goal loss to Essendon, Port Adelaide was keen to stamp its authority on Sydney early, and it did so through using the outside of the ground well.
Jay Schulz opened his and the Power’s account with a big major running into an open goal square.
The Power was unlucky for returning forward Robbie Gray to miss another goal opportunity, however Jacob Surjan quickly made amends with a courageous crumb-and-run effort from the centre of the ground.
Port Adelaide leading by thirteen points, Sydney was given a lucky break after a mark from a kick which seemingly fell short of the requisite fifteen metres was paid forty metres from the Swans goal end.
A rallying Sydney upped the ante with two more goals to hit the lead mid-way through the term, however Port Adelaide’s pressure around the ball created opportunity.
Paul Stewart held down the western wing like it was his own - outmuscling and running hard to set up two forward entries - one resulting in a goal to Matthew Broadbent at the sixteen-minute mark.
The Power struggled against the Swans’ high pressure defensive football, but was not without opportunity to score, with Sydney quick to punish error in front of goals.
Matthew Broadbent, Robbie Gray, Jackson Trengove, Jacob Surjan and Paul Stewart were influential in this quarter and their efforts were key to setting up Port Adelaide’s scoring.
Scoreboard
Port Adelaide 3. 3. (21)
Sydney 5. 2 (32)
Goals: Schulz, Surjan, Broadbent.
Stats
Marks: Trengove 7, Broadbent, Chaplin, P. Stewart 4
Disposals: Broadbent 10, P. Stewart, Trengove 9
Tackles: Cassisi, Stewart 2
Hitouts: Redden 8, D. Stewart 3
Second Quarter
Trailing by 11 points, Port Adelaide needed to respond to Sydney’s late first term scores.
The response came in the form of a long onslaught between the two sides. Port Adelaide was steely in defence in the opening moments and its forward movement much improved.
Paul Stewart had the first opportunity when he lined up on the corner of the boundary and 50 metre arc - pushing it to the left side - but followed quickly by a goal to Justin Westhoff.
Again, Sydney punished Port Adelaide. A massive brain fade by Hamish Hartlett kicking out from defence resulted in an easy goal to the Swans, before the lack of pressure around the ball at a critical juncture on fifty gave them a second.
With the Swans opening their lead, Port Adelaide had to respond, and used the ball effectively to get some late inside 50s.
A neat passage of play late in the term allowed Brad Ebert to kick a goal from a thirty metre set shot and close the Bloods’ advantage to sixteen points at the main change.
Disposals: Broadbent 10, P. Stewart, Trengove 9
Tackles: Cassisi, Stewart 2
Hitouts: Redden 8, D. Stewart 3
Second Quarter
Trailing by 11 points, Port Adelaide needed to respond to Sydney’s late first term scores.
The response came in the form of a long onslaught between the two sides. Port Adelaide was steely in defence in the opening moments and its forward movement much improved.
Paul Stewart had the first opportunity when he lined up on the corner of the boundary and 50 metre arc - pushing it to the left side - but followed quickly by a goal to Justin Westhoff.
Again, Sydney punished Port Adelaide. A massive brain fade by Hamish Hartlett kicking out from defence resulted in an easy goal to the Swans, before the lack of pressure around the ball at a critical juncture on fifty gave them a second.
With the Swans opening their lead, Port Adelaide had to respond, and used the ball effectively to get some late inside 50s.
A neat passage of play late in the term allowed Brad Ebert to kick a goal from a thirty metre set shot and close the Bloods’ advantage to sixteen points at the main change.
Half Time Scoreboard
Port Adelaide 5. 6 (36)
Sydney 8. 4 (52)
Goals: Schulz, Surjan, Broadbent, Westhoff, Brad Ebert
Sydney 8. 4 (52)
Goals: Schulz, Surjan, Broadbent, Westhoff, Brad Ebert
Stats
Marks: Trengove 8, Chaplin 7, P. Stewart 6, Broadbent 5
Disposals: P. Stewart 19, Broadbent, Cornes, Trengove 15
Tackles: Cassisi 4, Boak 3
Hitouts: Redden 16, D. Stewart 3
Third quarter
Disposals: P. Stewart 19, Broadbent, Cornes, Trengove 15
Tackles: Cassisi 4, Boak 3
Hitouts: Redden 16, D. Stewart 3
Third quarter
