AN inexperienced Port Adelaide side has opened its SANFL season with a disappointing 78-point loss against the Crows at Adelaide Oval.

Unlike last week’s pre-season practice match in which the Crows took command early in the contest, the Magpies were right in the game in the first quarter, before being blown away with 16 goals to four after quarter time.

Captain Cam Sutcliffe came off with a calf complaint early in the second quarter, adding injury to insult as the score finished 6.10 (46) to 19.10 (124).

Coach Tyson Goldsack was disappointed with his side’s second half in particular.

“The first half our contest was strong, consistent. Our work around the ball was where it needed to be and then the first five minutes of the second half were ok before it dropped off and didn’t come back,” he explained.

Coach Tyson Goldack says the game was lost around the ball, with Adelaide dominating in the contest in the second half. Image: Brandon Hancock.

“For us it’s about maintaining a level that’s competitive for longer because we know that if we do what we did in the first half of footy, then that’ll challenge most sides.

“We were a bit wayward in front of goal early and didn’t cash in on some opportunities and then we gave them a couple of easy goals that hurt.”

After a tight opening in which goals to Ollie Lord and skipper Sutcliffe had Port behind by just four points, the game turned in the second term as the Crows booted five goals to one to extend the margin to 26 points at the main break.

Ollie Lord was one of Port Adelaide's best, making his presence known around the ground in a strong performance for the 21-year-old. Image: Brandon Hancock.

The Magpies were untidy at times and inefficient going forward, failing to capitalise on 31 first half inside 50s to 20 and being left to lament inefficiency going inside the arc and inaccuracy on the scoreboard.

Western Australian recruit Jed Hagan was productive on debut with eight first half disposals off half forward, and his first SANFL goal from hard up against the boundary on a tight angle was a highlight.

The third term continued in the same vein as the second, the Magpies squandering early chances and the Crows capitalising in a run of eight unanswered goals to blow the margin out to 63 points.

A late rally saw Port narrow the gap with back-to-back goals for the first time in the contest. Sam Hayes’ strong mark inside 50 and set shot goal broke the drought, and quick thinking Tom Scully playing on from a free kick outside 50 saw the teenager boot his first league goal with the margin still a daunting 51 points at the final change.

In a boost for the young key forward, Tom Scully enjoyed an impressive first goal in his league debut. Image: Brandon Hancock.

Mitch Georgiades goaled on the run to open the final quarter and give the Magpies some hope after three straight goals, but it was all Adelaide after that with another run of five straight goals as the Crows won by 78 points.

For Goldsack – coaching his first league game – losing Sutcliffe’s leadership and experience and having eight teenagers on the field, six of them making their SANFL debuts, proved a challenge.

“If we’d had more experience out there, we might have been able to cover the loss of Cam with other guys but at the moment our AFL list is young with a lot of guys who have only played a handful of games if any at all,” he explained. “So that hurt a lot in terms of being able to steady the ship or help get the game back on our terms, as Sutts might have been able to help with.

“Trent Dumont stepped up but needed more support.”

There were some positives with Josh Sinn, Nick Moore, Dumont, and Hugh Jackson working hard through the midfield all day and Dylan Williams showing poise and class in his role in the backline.

Youngster Josh Sinn was strong all day, collecting 19 disposals and seven tackles. Image: Brandon Hancock.

Ollie Lord was the main forward target throughout the game with ruckmen Sam Hayes and Dante Visentini showing promise. With a lot of tall timber at his disposal, Goldsack threw ruckman Brynn Teakle into the backline and he competed well with Crow Elliott Himmelberg for much of the contest.

“To give our young guys a chance to play at Adelaide Oval against a strong Adelaide team is really valuable and they took it to them in the first half,” Goldsack said.

“How long you can maintain that is the challenge with a younger group. Now it’s trying to find a way to learn to do it for longer, and that will come with more match fitness, more experience.”

Port Adelaide’s will travel to Glenelg to take on the Bays in Round 2 next Friday evening from 4:40pm.

SCOREBOARD

Port Adelaide   2.2       3.6       5.8       6.10 (46)

Adelaide           3.0       8.2       14.5     19.10 (124)

BEST: Williams, Moore, Jackson, McEntee, Lord, Dumont

GOALS: Lord, Scully, Georgiades, Hagan, Hayes, Sutcliffe