IN the first draw of the SANFL season, Port Adelaide fell agonisingly short in overcoming a 35-point deficit at half-time against South Adelaide, with both teams finishing with 97 points.

It was a wet and scrappy afternoon with conditions suited for small forwards, evident as the trio of Orazio Fantasia, Francis Evans and Jed Hagan combined for nine goals.

Coach Tyson Goldsack spoke about how the team turned their performance around after half-time, saying it was about getting back to what they knew would work.

It was a day out for Port Adelaide's small forwards, with Francis Evan kicking three goals. Image: Brandon Hancock.

“The message was basically: start playing like us a little bit more,” he said.

“We kind of had pretty clear intentions going in, a style of footy that we wanted to see and play, and we were just off the mark by quite a distance.

“I don’t think we’ve played as poorly across the ground as that for, outside of the Adelaide game, the year, really.

“Allowing them to move the footy as they wished, our contest was absent, and we just had to turn that around.”

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South Adelaide vs. Port Adelaide - Match Highlights | PTV

SANFL Premiership Mini-Matches South Adelaide Vs Port Adelaide Round 17 2023

Goldsack praised the work of the SANFL contracted players and how instrumental they have been ahead of a potential finals appearance.

“It's a long way to go deep into finals without backup players, so it’s pretty important for us as a club,” he said.

“But it’s also important for our contracted players to get what they deserve.

“They’ve worked really hard, often late at night without lights for half the year, lower numbers at training.

“They just turn up and they work after long days at work, so it’d be nice to secure finals for them and for the AFL team as well.”

Quinton Narkle returned to SANFL action with 23 disposals and a goal. Image: Brandon Hancock.

The first term started with an exciting Fantasia goal, yet both teams struggled to settle into the game, with the conditions proving it difficult to mark the ball.

While the Panthers suffered a couple of injuries midway through the quarter, their intensity around the contest challenged the Magpies, who headed into the first break with a slender two-point lead.

South Adelaide controlled proceedings during the second quarter with Hagan contributing the only Port Adelaide goal as the Magpies fell behind by 35 points.

The third quarter was far better for Port Adelaide, with three goals from Evans (three goals, 17 disposals, seven tackles) crucial to pegging back the margin.

The Magpies managed to claw back into the game through the second half, after being overrun early. Image: Brandon Hancock.

Tom Scully stood up in the final term with some critical marks and a goal in conditions that did not favour a player of his height.

The lead was traded throughout the quarter, as neither team could put the other away, with the siren eventually sounding with scores level.

Fantasia (four goals, 17 disposals, five tackles) was deployed into the midfield during the match, with Goldsack calling his performance “pretty sharp.”

“It’s just up to him to keep his body right and keep turning up,” Goldsack said.

“Not his ideal conditions, but he still turned up and his contest was strong, so he’ll just keep looking to put his name forward wherever he can.”

Port Adelaide will face Central Districts at Elizabeth next week on Saturday at 2:10pm, with a win guaranteeing a top-five finals spot.  

SCOREBOARD
Port Adelaide      3.2      4.4       10.10     14.13 (97)           
South Adelaide   3.0      10.3      13.4       15.7  (97)    

Goals: Fantasia 4, Evans 3, Hagan 2, Burgoyne, Cheesman, Narkle, Scully, Szust.
Best: Pasini, Evans, Dumont, Fantasia, Scully.