PORT ADELAIDE has produced a gutsy performance against Essendon at Marvel Stadium on Saturday afternoon to stun the home side by 10 goals.
Port dominated from the outset against a side they have failed to beat in its previous three meetings.
The Power kicked five goals to two in the opening term, and five goals to one in the final term to run out 59-point winners.
Robbie Gray kicked the first of the afternoon after converting a set shot, then Todd Marshall made it two in a row for the Power after snapping truly.
Orazio Fantasia hit back for the home side, trapping skipper Tom Jonas holding the ball and converting from a tight angle.
Mid-season recruit Cam Sutcliffe then snapped from right on the boundary to give the visitors the momentum midway through the opening term.
Zach Merrett crumbed and after a nifty side step slotted the goal from 45 metres out, before Robbie Gray kicked his second courtesy of a free kick on a tough angle to regain a 10-point lead.
Zak Butters made it consecutive goals for the second time in the opening quarter for the Power, as the visitors took a 16-point lead into the first break.
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti got the crowd exciting at the start of the second quarter with a nice hanger but was unable to convert the opportunity.
Robbie Gray added his third major, before Dylan Shiel hit back for the home side to break a run of three consecutive goals to Ken Hinkley’s men.
Dan Houston then bobbed up in the forward 50 to take a strong contested mark, and kicked truly from directly in front.
Will Snelling crumbed the pack to get one back for the Bombers and reduce the margin to 15 points late in the first half.
Snelling added his second soon after, before Travis Boak received a 50-metre penalty to and goaled to give the visitors a 16-point lead at the main break.
Xavier Duursma opened to the scoring in the second half with a nicely judged checkside.
In an entertaining start to the third term, both sides traded quick goals through Aaron Francis, Connor Rozee, Fantasia then Sam Gray.
Jake Stringer asserted himself on the contest with a goal from 50, but it was the Power who still led by 18 points midway through the third.
Rozee pounced from the boundary throw in and slid it in from a tight angle to ignite the visitors, before some swift ball movement from the defensive half ended in Marshall’s second for the afternoon.
Karl Amon made it three in a row for Port, as they extended their lead to 35 points at the final change.
Robbie Gray used his body perfectly to run in and hammer home his fourth goal to give the Power a 40-point advantage at the start of the final term.
Paddy Ryder then marked 35m out and goaled to give the visitors five unanswered goals, before Sam Powell-Pepper handed Port a 54-point lead.
Stringer added a second goal late, which was cancelled out by Marshall’s third, before Houston put some icing on the cake to give the Power a crucial 59-point victory.
Houston was everywhere on Saturday afternoon, collecting 29 touches and two goals, while Rockliff (27 disposals), Duursma (26) and Byrne-Jones were also prolific ball-winners.
Port will turn its attention to Sydney at Adelaide Oval next weekend, but now move to equal-eighth on the ladder with games still to be played in Round 20
SCOREBOARD
ESSENDON 2.4 5.7 8.10 9.13 (67)
PORT ADELAIDE 5.2 8.5 14.9 19.12 (126)
GOALS
R. Gray 4, Marshall 3, Rozee, Houston 2, Sutcliffe, Powell-Pepper, Amon, S. Gray, Butters, Boak, Ryder, Duursma
BEST
Houston, Rozee, R. Gray, Byrne-Jones, Sutcliffe, Boak
