Watch Matthew Primus’ press conference from Saturday’s match above. Can't see the video? Watch on YouTube.
IT always hurts at Alberton when Port Adelaide goes down to the Crows in a Showdown, but that hurt was compounded when it was 58 points that defeated the Power on Saturday night.

End Game

Port Adelaide was simply outplayed by a stronger outfit on Saturday night and had too few players perform to the expectations of the club and its supporters. Down on most stats at the end of play, the numbers highlighted just how the Crows were able to double the Power’s score. Port trailed by 79 possessions - the majority uncontested - and couldn’t hold pace with the Crows’ clearance work. Paul Stewart was a shining light up forward for the Power with four goals while Travis Boak was serviceable upon his return from injury.

The Scoreboard

Port Adelaide 8.10 (58) def by
Adelaide Crows 17.14 (116)

Best: P. Stewart, Boak, Brad Ebert, Pfeiffer
Goals: P. Stewart 4, Wingard, Butcher, Brett Ebert, Boak

Leader board

Disposals: Travis Boak (25)
Marks: Troy Chaplin (10)
Tackles: Troy Chaplin, Travis Boak (5)
Clearances: Travis Boak (7)
Hitouts: Matthew Lobbe (12)
Scores: Paul Stewart (24 points)
Dreamteam: Troy Chaplin (110)

Headlines

Boak Unfazed By Power Struggles
 Skills, not rucks to blame: Primus
Showdown Letdown
PTV Exclusive: Brad Ebert
 Quarter-By-Quarter 

Analysis

In last week’s Alberton Crunch we mentioned that the performance against Geelong made it difficult to determine where the team was at on-field. In contrast, Saturday’s loss to the Crows highlighted exactly where the Power is at and what it needs to fix quickly. Port Adelaide’s skills set must improve and Matthew Primus identified as much in his press conference.

Port Adelaide won’t win games of football until its ability to maintain possession and make it count on the scoreboard improves from its current state. Turnovers, as against Geelong, were the primary source of the Crows’ scoring opportunities and put the Power’s backline under pressure across the whole night. Working in tandem with this was the inability of the forwards to ease that pressure on the scoreboard - a second term passage of play particularly highlighting Port Adelaide’s lowly stocks where four behinds were returned from a single inside 50.

In a positive to come out of the match, Paul Stewart showed he is capable of scoring multiple goals in a match and works hard to find those opportunities. The 24-year-old utility kicked four straight and filled the void left by the injured Jay Schulz. Travis Boak also provided on-field leadership with a solid return from injury in a game where he held the captaincy mantle in lieu of the injured Dom Cassisi. 

Coming up

The challenge for Port Adelaide is a big one in the next month. With just eight matches remaining in the 2012 season, games against Essendon, Melbourne, Fremantle and Greater Western Sydney provide an incentive for the Port Adelaide squad - which is set to be bolstered by the staggered return of club leaders over the coming weeks - to chalk up some wins and consistent competitive performances. 

That competitiveness needs to start on Saturday against the wounded Bombers - who were convincingly shown up by St Kilda on Saturday evening. With a history of matching up well against the Dons, Port Adelaide has an opportunity to cause an upset and improve its standing within the eyes of supporters and on the premiership ladder.

Injury list 

No injuries were reported from the match. David Rodan was a late withdrawal prior to the game with a hamstring concern and was replaced by Jackson Trengove.

Next game 

Sunday 14 July, 1.40pm (SA time)
Port Adelaide v Essendon
AAMI Stadium, West Lakes