IT wasn’t perfect but Ken Hinkley’s Port Adelaide outfit has moved into the AFL’s top four following its 40-point Anzac Appeal Round win over West Coast on Saturday afternoon.
At a sun-drenched Adelaide Oval, Port broke away from the Eagles with a six-goals-to-one second quarter, eventually winning 16.13 (109) to 10.9 (69).
Jeremy Finlayson booted five goals for the home side but silky midfielder Connor Rozee walked away with his second consecutive Peter Badcoe VC Medal as the player adjudged to have lived up to the Anzac values the best.
Following hard-fought, gritty wins over Sydney and the Western Bulldogs in recent weeks, Hinkley’s men were more comfortable against the injury-depleted Eagles.
“It wasn’t perfect but it was still a nice strong performance by the team,” Hinkley said after the result. “We’d take a 40-point win at the start of the day, all day long.
“With great respect to West Coast, they were never going to come here and not give a good account of themselves. You’ve only got to look at their starting mids - they're pretty talented - and their forwards as well.
“It would be disrespectful to the game if we didn’t acknowledge they played pretty solid footy today.”
In the absence of spearhead Charlie Dixon (knee), Finlayson stood tall with 5.2 and providing a focal point when fellow tall forward Todd Marshall was concussed and subbed out of the game.
197cm debutant Ollie Lord also showed signs that would encourage Port supporters about the future of the forward line with a goal from three shots, ten disposals and three marks.
“I’m not quite sure what he did with his first kick but what a great moment for him to kick his first goal and play his first game in front of his family,” Hinkley said of the first-gamer who was presented his guernsey by Dixon before the match.
“It’s a great memory for everyone who has played the game and he should be really proud of what he’s done, particularly from January this year to where he’s got to today.
“He’s got a lot of old school about him and he replaced an old school player. We replaced (Charlie) with the next closest thing we have to that type of player.
“He’s got a great strength for a big fella in getting after the ball on the ground and if you get in the way, he does tend to take you with him.”
Smooth defender Ryan Burton was also pushed forward once Marshall went down and finished with two goals while deputy vice captain Darcy Byrne-Jones continued to thrive in his uncustomary role in the front half with two goals of his own.
The concussion will rule Marshall out of Friday night’s trip to Melbourne to face St Kilda at Marvel but Hinkley said Dixon was a chance to return.
“(Todd’s) pretty good to be fair but we don’t take any risks with head knocks so he’ll be unavailable next week.
“We’re pretty optimistic around Charlie coming back in but if not we’ll find a way, as we did with Ollie Lord playing his first game.
“Burton went forward and we saw him kick a couple of goals so there’ll be solutions.”
Hinkley paid special tribute after the game to defender Trent McKenzie, who played his 150th game.
The pair first met with McKenzie a teenager at the Gold Coast Suns, before Hinkley gave him a lifeline and pushed him into the backline at Alberton, where he has thrived.
“He’s just a high-quality person. He’s always had high talent,” the coach said.
“He’s had a really rough run with his body but what he’s been able to do is get through now to a point where he’s quite durable.
“He’s a combative player and you need to be a combative player to play as a key back. He’s a reliable piece, the team trusts him and he plays that way.”
For Rozee, being recognised for the second consecutive year with the Peter Badcoe VC Medal was a special honour.
The Badcoe Medal is voted on by journalists and media personalities covering the match and is awarded to the player who best demonstrates the ANZAC spirit and qualities of skill, courage in adversity, self-sacrifice, teamwork and fair play during the game.
Major Peter Badcoe VC served in the Vietnam War and is the last South Australian to be awarded the Victoria Cross - the military’s highest honour for bravery.
He was one of Australia's greatest war heroes, a highly-decorated soldier whose acts of bravery and courage saw him awarded the medal for three separate acts during the Vietnam conflict.
“It’s an extremely special day for our football club in general,” Rozee said of Port Adelaide hosting a game in the AFL’s Anzac Appeal Round for the 19th consecutive year.
“It’s something I look forward to every year. Our club does it really well.
“The Badcoe Medal is a special honour for me to win because it’s voted on for the (Anzac) spirit of the player rather than the performance, touches and goals.
“So, I’m really proud to have displayed that and to be given the medal for those reasons.”
At 4-2, Hinkley’s side is temporarily in the top-four, awaiting other results with games to come against St Kilda, Essendon and North Melbourne in the next three weeks.
