First Quarter

Like a team with everything to prove, the Power came out all cylinders firing with the intensity, physicality and control absent last week.

Starting with four forwards in their attacking 50, the Power were determined to draw first blood with a fast start against the Cats.

Matt Broadbent had the crowd roaring early, with three touches and an important tackle which to his name, resulting in the Power’s first major.



Geelong had their opportunities early, but couldn’t capitalise - three missed set shots - while the Power seemed to be gaining control of the play, putting their bodies on the line and showing the good team defence they’ve lacked recently.

And there was plenty of fire out there, particularly between Brad Ebert and ex-crow Patrick Dangerfield, who gave away a free kick to the Power midfielder for a hit off the ball.

And the fire didn’t stop – a push and shove at the left forward pocket as the end of quarter siren had the crowd in a frenzy.

The Power led the Cats by 24 points in at the first break.

Second Quarter

The Cats struggled to get the ball forward of centre for the first ten minutes of the second term, with the Power kicking two short balls early on and hitting the scoreboard with minors.

A tense arm wrestle ensued; the play was rough, the football hard, and both sides feeling the pressure with disposal efficiencies in the low 60 percent.

An impressively juggled mark in the goal square under pressure from Toumpas saw skipper Joel Selwood slot the Cats’ second, followed by a long boot from Dangerfield – while the Power remained goalless in the second term.



Another Dangerfield goal on the run outside 50 and a major from Cockatoo had the scores level at 35 all, with the Cats appearing to have regained control.



By the start of the major break, the Power had let six cats’ goals slip by unanswered.

Half time Scoreboard


Port Adelaide 5.6 (36)
Geelong 7.5 (47) 

Goals
Ebert, Broadbent, Wines, Dixon, Amon 1
Disposals
Boak 16, Byrne-Jones 14, Broadbent 13

 

Third Quarter

The Cats had the run early, claiming the centre bounce clearance - but a missed set shot left the ball in the Power’s possession, and it was sent straight through the corridor to a waiting Dixon.

He ended the Power’s goal-drought, slotting their first goal in 36 minutes of football.

Glimmers of the exciting, play-on Port Adelaide football for which the side has become known shone through at times, but sloppy disposal and costly turnovers left the Power chasing the Cats’ tail.





Port Adelaide simply couldn’t respond to Geelong’s attacking momentum and defensive pressure across the ground and by the 20th minute, their lead had stretched to 25 points.

At three-quarter-time the Power trailed by 30.


Fourth Quarter

Despite some hard defensive work from Jasper Pittard and youngster Darcy Byrne-Jones in the Power’s backline, the game remained clearly in the Cats’ control throughout the fourth term.

Goals to Geelong’s Menzel and Kersten in the first fifteen minutes had the Cats to Powers’ goal ratio at 15 to 3 since the quarter break.

A score review to a long Dixon set shot 50m out determined a goal for the Power, but with only 41 inside 50s to Geelong’s 55 at the 23rd minute, Port Adelaide’s opportunities to score were to be limited.



Geelong outmanoeuvred an undisciplined and scrappy Port Adelaide performance, which saw only 18 inside 50s and 119 contested possessions in the second half to the Cats’ 35 and 157.

The Power went out - and the Cats’ claimed the win by 48 points. 



Full time

SCOREBOARD
Port Adelaide 5.4 (34) 5.6(36) 7.9(51) 8.11(59)

Geelong 1.4(10) 7.5(47) 12.9 (81) 16.11(107)

Goals: Dixon 3, Wines 2, Ebert, Broadbent, Amon 1

Disposals: Byrne-Jones, Boak 26, Pittard 25, Wines 24

Best: Byrne-Jones, Wines, Pittard, Boak 

Injuries: None

Crowd: 44,937 at Adelaide Oval