PORT ADELAIDE enjoyed double Showdown success at the weekend with wins at both AFL and under 15 level.
The club’s Under 15 Next Generation Academy (NGA) side enjoyed an eleven point win against Adelaide’s NGA on Saturday afternoon in a curtain raiser to the main event at Adelaide Oval.
The academy sides were made up of the best under-15 elite players from each of the eight SANFL clubs with those from West Adelaide, South Adelaide, Norwood and the Eagles representing Port Adelaide.
Despite conceding the first goal, Port’s NGA went on a run which set up a five-goal lead by half time.
The Crows fought back late in the game but the Power held on, to the delight of coach Paul Stewart.
“Having spent four months together running education and skills-based sessions at Alberton, we knew it would be important to start well against Adelaide and play to our game plan,” he said.
“We had a clear plan going into the game where we wanted to play fast and attacking football, while also focussing on tackling and putting them under pressure.
“Blake Hansen and Kobe Ryan set the scene from the first bounce with exceptional ball use especially coming out of the back half.
“And after the Crows stepped up a gear in the third quarter the last quarter became an arm wrestle."
Stewart was full of praise for the defensive efforts of Charbel Oueiss and Harper Montgomery in the last quarter to stem the tide.
Scoreboard
PA NGA 7 9 51
AFC NGA 6 4 40
Goalscorers: Riley Verrall (Norwood), Taj Rahui (Norwood), Jamison Snelling (SAFC), Kobe Ryan (WAFC), Jaiden Magor (SAFC), Charbel Oueiss (WAFC), and Will Verrall (SAFC)
Best: Blake Hansen (WWTFC), Kobe Ryan (WAFC), Taj Rahui (Norwood), Fraser Bone (WAFC), Hunter Carter (WWTFC), Adam D’Aloia (WWTFC), Lucas Bennett (WWTFC), Liam Bennetts (WAFC)