PORT ADELAIDE has celebrated its last home game of the season with a 78-point belting of Melbourne in front of 18,875 diehard fans at AAMI Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Power, led by the dynamic Burgoyne brothers, put the game out of Melbourne’s reach in the opening term and, unlike earlier performances this season, never looked back on their way to a 18.21 (129) to 7.9 (51) victory.
Peter Burgoyne responded to heavy criticism with 37 possessions and two goals and was well supported by younger brother Shaun (25 possessions), Dom Cassisi (34) and Kane Cornes (32).
Port Adelaide finished with six multiple goalkickers, led by Daniel Motlop's five, while Brad Miller was the pick of Melbourne's forwards with two goals.
Paul Wheatley (31 possessions) and Colin Garland continued their standout seasons for the Demons.
It was a new-look guernsey and a new-look Port Adelaide that took to the field in the first quarter. Keen to finish their disappointing season on a high, the Power bolted out of the blocks like a Jamaican sprinter with a six-goal to-one opening term.
Motlop, a shining light this year, got his team on the board in the opening two minutes with his 50th goal of the season.
The home side's pace unsettled the flat-footed Dees and Danyle Pearce found some space to snap through the Power's second.
And Peter Burgoyne brushed aside last week's sub-par performance with a blistering 10 touches and two goals for the quarter.
The premiership veteran put in two solid defensive efforts to help turn the ball over and followed up his good work with a long bomb from outside 50m.
Young forward Matthew Westhoff had chances to extend Port Adelaide’s lead, but couldn’t convert either of his shots on goal.
Melbourne, who had struggled to clear the ball from its kick-ins, finally found a way through the Power’s zone to set up a goal to Miller.
Motlop continued to make the most of a slight breeze with two more goals pushing the margin out and, when Peter Burgoyne was paid a lucky mark inside 50m, the lead was out to 36 at the first change.
The Power slipped to Melbourne’s level at the start of the dour second term with both sides guilty of poor skill and decision-making errors.
But they reasserted their dominance at the clearances and eventually broke the scoring drought with Motlop's fourth coming at the 14-minute mark of the term.
The Demons lifted their intensity through Simon Buckley, Wheatley and Cale Morton, but failed to reward their efforts with a return of 1.4 for the quarter.
Port Adelaide tried to make them pay through David Rodan, but Melbourne responded with a goal to Cameron Bruce.
The Power had their own woes in front of the big sticks with another four behinds added to their tally, but Justin Westhoff finally capped of his dominance up forward with a goal before the half-time siren to push the lead out to 48.
Inaccuracy continued for both sides in a forgettable third term and Melbourne did its best to slow Port Adelaide with a possession-type game plan, but burned the ball when it had possession.
Matthew Westhoff joined his older brother on the scoreboard in the opening minutes, courtesy of Shaun Burgoyne, and the side should have moved further ahead in the perfect conditions.
As was the case last week, the Power were unable to capitalise and sprayed seven behinds for the quarter.
The Demons managed to find the middle with consecutive goals to Austin Wonaeamirri and Matthew Bate to reduce the deficit to 45 at the final change.
Debutant Marlon Motlop showed a bit of class in the last quarter, but the term belonged to Brendon Lade. The rejuvenated big man booted the opening two goals to put the result beyond doubt and subsequent majors to Motlop, Justin Westhoff, Pearce and Travis Boak were icing.
Goals to Michael Newton, Mark Jamar and Miller helped Melbourne save some face in the final quarter onslaught.
Port Adelaide 6.6 9.10 10.17 18.21 (129)
Melbourne 1.0 2.4 4.8 7.9 (51)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: D. Motlop 5, J. Westhoff 2, M. Westhoff 2, Lade 2, P. Burgoyne 2, Pearce 2, Rodan, Cassisi, Boak
Melbourne: Miller 2, Bruce, Bate, Wonaeamirri, Jamar, Newton
BEST
Port Adelaide: P. Burgoyne, S. Burgoyne, Cassisi, D. Motlop, Logan, Brogan, Pearce
Melbourne: Wheatley, Buckley, McDonald, Garland, Morton
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Chaplin (knee)
Melbourne: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Margetts, Head, Keating
Official crowd: 18,875 at AAMI Stadium
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.
