End Game
The playing group’s skills in the wet were poor and coughed up goals to a Richmond attack which punished the Power’s ineffective ball usage. There were few passages that highlighted the ability and potential of the Port Adelaide side and the scoreboard reflected this.
The forward line was hamstrung by Cameron Hitchcock’s substitution from the ground in the first quarter, and ultimately the inability of the midfield to feed the ball in cleanly to the attacking fifty prevented Port Adelaide from making the most of its limited opportunities with the ball.
Whilst the club departed from many of the things it had done right in the last month, its third quarter again showed that a resolve to do better exists within the playing group. If that resolve can be harnessed for four quarters of football the Power will take wins, but it needs to find that consistency for the whole game if it is to resurrect its chances this year.
The Scoreboard
Port Adelaide 8.6 (54) def by
Richmond 13.13 (91)
Best: Brad Ebert, Jacobs, Broadbent
Goals: Renouf, Broadbent 2, D. Stewart, Jacob, Butcher, Young
Injuries: Hitchcock (hamstring), Cornes (bruised knee)
Headlines
United Port Still Eyes Finals
Quarter-By-Quarter
In his own words - Matthew Primus
We couldn’t put any pressure on them to stop their uncontested stuff…we just got beaten by a better team today - that was the facts of it - we were O.K in the first, didn’t take our chances, gave them easy goals, and in the second quarter we just weren’t able to get at them at any stage and they were just too precise and too clean for us. It wasn’t until we were able to talk to them that they really came out and attacked Richmond (closing the gap to 24 points) but by then the dog had bolted.”
In his own words - Matthew Primus
We couldn’t put any pressure on them to stop their uncontested stuff…we just got beaten by a better team today - that was the facts of it - we were O.K in the first, didn’t take our chances, gave them easy goals, and in the second quarter we just weren’t able to get at them at any stage and they were just too precise and too clean for us. It wasn’t until we were able to talk to them that they really came out and attacked Richmond (closing the gap to 24 points) but by then the dog had bolted.”
What it means
All-in-all the result is a tough pill to swallow for a side which showed massive promise in the pre-season and has for the opening part of the year demonstrated the ability to mix it with the best sides of the competition.
Primus summarised the match as a backwards step for the Power - an undoing of the encouraging steps of the last few weeks - and the onus is on the playing group to take away the good passages of work it managed during the game and re-establish the knack for playing tough football that places pressure on opponents from the get-go.
The future
After competitive efforts in the opening rounds of the year, the Power’s spirit appeared to go missing on the weekend. “Where to from here?” is the question on everybody’s lips at the moment.
Indeed, a response from the Power will be required against Fremantle at Paterson’s Stadium next weekend. The boost a win over the Dockers would give the playing group cannot be understated - victory provides a psychological edge in footy - but it will require leadership on the field and they key midfielders to relieve the pressure on defence and contribute up forward as well.
The loss of key players like Jay Schulz and Robbie Gray has punched a gape in the Power’s offense and contributions need to arise from the midfield group in their absence.
Injury list
Cameron Hitchcock has injured a hamstring and Kane Cornes bruised his knee during the encounter.
The Black and White
Port Adelaide’s hard weekend started with the Magpies going down to West Adelaide on Saturday afternoon. It was a difficult game with the in-form Bloods dominating the play from half time onwards. There were few contributors around the ground with Corey Beard trying to hold up the Port Adelaide defence. Aseri Raikiwasa made his League debut count and sits as a permanent inclusion in the Magpies side.
Port Adelaide plays home to North Adelaide this week - with a decent record against the Roosters of late, it could be the Magpies’ best chance to reclaim some honour with its second win for the season.
The Scoreboard
Port Adelaide 10.7 (67) def by
West Adelaide 15.12 (102)
Best: Beard, Clayton, Gray, Raikiwasa
Goals: Thurgood, Summerton 2, Brett Ebert, Broomhead, Kulikowski, Young, Clayton, Cockshell
Coming Up
Sunday 13 May, 2.40pm (local time)
Fremantle v Port Adelaide
Patersons Stadium, Subiaco
Saturday 12 May, 2.10pm
Port Adelaide v North Adelaide
Alberton Oval, Alberton
All-in-all the result is a tough pill to swallow for a side which showed massive promise in the pre-season and has for the opening part of the year demonstrated the ability to mix it with the best sides of the competition.
Primus summarised the match as a backwards step for the Power - an undoing of the encouraging steps of the last few weeks - and the onus is on the playing group to take away the good passages of work it managed during the game and re-establish the knack for playing tough football that places pressure on opponents from the get-go.
The future
After competitive efforts in the opening rounds of the year, the Power’s spirit appeared to go missing on the weekend. “Where to from here?” is the question on everybody’s lips at the moment.
Indeed, a response from the Power will be required against Fremantle at Paterson’s Stadium next weekend. The boost a win over the Dockers would give the playing group cannot be understated - victory provides a psychological edge in footy - but it will require leadership on the field and they key midfielders to relieve the pressure on defence and contribute up forward as well.
The loss of key players like Jay Schulz and Robbie Gray has punched a gape in the Power’s offense and contributions need to arise from the midfield group in their absence.
Injury list
Cameron Hitchcock has injured a hamstring and Kane Cornes bruised his knee during the encounter.
The Black and White
Port Adelaide’s hard weekend started with the Magpies going down to West Adelaide on Saturday afternoon. It was a difficult game with the in-form Bloods dominating the play from half time onwards. There were few contributors around the ground with Corey Beard trying to hold up the Port Adelaide defence. Aseri Raikiwasa made his League debut count and sits as a permanent inclusion in the Magpies side.
Port Adelaide plays home to North Adelaide this week - with a decent record against the Roosters of late, it could be the Magpies’ best chance to reclaim some honour with its second win for the season.
The Scoreboard
Port Adelaide 10.7 (67) def by
West Adelaide 15.12 (102)
Best: Beard, Clayton, Gray, Raikiwasa
Goals: Thurgood, Summerton 2, Brett Ebert, Broomhead, Kulikowski, Young, Clayton, Cockshell
Coming Up
Sunday 13 May, 2.40pm (local time)
Fremantle v Port Adelaide
Patersons Stadium, Subiaco
Saturday 12 May, 2.10pm
Port Adelaide v North Adelaide
Alberton Oval, Alberton
