PORT Adelaide's push for a consecutive grand final berth was dealt a blow when its goalless third quarter against West Adelaide on Sunday at Adelaide Oval saw it beaten by 29 points.
The loss will have the Magpies play Central District in the first semi final - a knockout game - next Sunday at 2:10pm.
Port Adelaide started the match with a bang - kicking four goals to one - and looked poised to continue their dominant form over the Bloods in the minor round closer last week.
But West turned the tables in the second term to lead all the key statistics - first with the ball, and plenty of it inside its attacking 50.
Ben Sawford's goal at the nine-minute of the second quarter for the Magpies, where he snatched the ball out of the air from a bounce inside 50, swung around the body and banged the ball on his boot, was the only real highlight for Port's after quarter time.
The Bloods piled on three unanswered goals before the rain started to hit hard and even when the rain halted, West Adelaide handled the conditions better.
The Magpies had no answer to West's midfielders, who ran hard and quickly moved the ball from defence to attack.
Port Adelaide's best ball-winners were Steve Summerton (27 disposals), Sam Colquhoun (23 disposals) and Kane Mitchell (21 disposals).
The Magpies will play Central District at Adelaide Oval next Sunday 13 August at 2:10pm.
SCOREBOARD
PORT ADELAIDE 4.2 5.2 5.4 6.5 (41)
WEST ADELAIDE 1.2 4.5 8.8 10.10 (70)
GOALS
Stewart, Reynolds, Davidson, Russell, Sawford, T. Gray
PORTADELAIDEFC.COM.AU’S BEST
Summerton, Colquhoun, Mitchell, Sharrad
INJURIES
Sawford - eye
CROWD
8,031 at the Adelaide Oval
