PORT ADELAIDE will play SANFL finals for the first time since 2019, but had a nervous wait to confirm its position after going down to Central District on the final day of the home-and-away season.
The sun was shining on a beautiful day at X Convenience Oval at Elizabeth for what would be a finals-defining clash but despite a strong start, Port Adelaide was unable to hold on against a late-surging Bulldogs, going down 14.7 (99) to 11.10 (76).
While it was not the result he was after, the game concluded what has been a successful debut season for head coach Tyson Goldsack, leading the Magpies to their first finals campaign for four years
Port Adelaide’s top-five finish was supported by other results in the league falling in its favour, creating what Goldsack described as a ‘bittersweet feeling’ at the end of the game.
“I had a look at half time (at the result of the North Adelaide v Sturt game). I didn’t have a look through the third but had a look a couple of times in the last, especially when things weren’t going our way,” said Goldsack.
“It’s my first finals as coach but after the game I sat there and said I didn’t know how to feel. I’m excited for (the group) to be able to play finals but a bit disappointed that they let themselves down today.”
The result sets up a second consecutive clash with Central District in a do-or-die elimination final at Adelaide Oval next Sunday.
“It would have been nice to go out on a high for the season and then go into finals but we’ll move on and play them next week, and hopefully beat them. The good thing is we know what to do (to beat them) we just have to do it a bit better,” said Goldsack.
The Magpies got off to a flying start with Dante Visentini, Cody Szust and Jed Hagan each hitting the scoreboard in a quarter where Port Adelaide dominated the possession and inside fifty counts.
Jackson Mead (29 disposals) was everywhere with a game-high seventeen first quarter disposals, and with trademark overlapping movement alongside the likes of Jase Burgoyne (25 disposals), and Trent Dumont (22 disposals), the Magpies were in total control of the game.
Small forwards Jed Hagan (three goals, 13 disposals), Cody Szust (three goals, 11 disposals) and Orazio Fantasia (two goals, 12 disposals) provided a spark up forward, while Tom Scully (one goal, 11 disposals) and Dante Visentini (two goals, 18 hitouts) led well and looked strong in the air.
However, the Bulldogs were able to wrestle back control of the ball after the main break, halting Port Adelaide’s slick ball movement and piling on pressure inside their own forward fifty.
“Our mids were really good in the opening quarter. They worked really hard to get the ball and I think we lost that as the game went on,” said Goldsack.
“We didn’t take the kicks we should have to put their backs under pressure and their midfielders under pressure. They (Centrals) keep turning up. They played four quarters of footy, their contest is strong and they’ve got really hard working midfielders. We knew that coming in and they proved that to us again.”
Speaking about the Magpies' AFL listed players, Goldsack was pleased with Orazio Fantasia’s performance, and the return from injury of Scott Lycett earlier than expected.
“Fantasia is three games back, he’s starting to move well," said Goldsack. "He’s so clean with the ball. We know he can be damaging as a forward with the ball in hand. He’s not quite back at his best but he’s starting to look close to it.
“That was just the first run for Lycett. It was probably two weeks earlier than we expected so it’s nice to get a run into him, and get him moving to blow the cobwebs out and see what he can do for us in the finals at either level.”
Port Adelaide will be out for revenge on Sunday September 3rd when the two sides meet again in the second elimination final.
SCOREBOARD
CENTRAL DISTRICT 0.2 3.6 6.6 14.7 (91)
PORT ADELAIDE 3.6 4.7 8.9 11.10 (76)
Goals: Hagan, Szust 3, Fantasia, Visentini 2, Scully
Best: Mead, Dumont, Hagan, Pasini, Bonner
