1. Second-term Power surge ends the argument
Port Adelaide spent a fortnight leading into this match promising a fierce display and they delivered, although it took a quarter to flick the switch. For a term Port looked lacklustre and the talk appeared cheap. There was a brief melee at quarter time, then a shower, and a different Power side re-emerged from the huddle. In 17 brilliant minutes to start the term Port kicked six unanswered goals, and blew the Tigers out of the water. Port had the first 14 inside-50s of the term. Matthew Broadbent, Brett Ebert and Jackson Trengove were among the chief architects as Port dominated the clearances and bombarded the Tiger defence, which wilted under the onslaught. Port finished the term with seven goals straight in the dampest part of the night.
2. Missing Tigers give Hardwick heartache
The extent of Tigers’ capitulation in the second term was best shown in the fact it took them more than 18 minutes to go inside forward 50. It was the longest period a team has taken to go into attack in a quarter this season, according to Champion Data. The Tigers were obliterated out of the middle and then found themselves hopelessly pinned in their back half and unable to get hold of the ball. Sixteen Richmond players had three disposals or less for the quarter in a display which will bring more heat on coach Damien Hardwick and his playing list. The loss all but condemns the Tigers to watching on this September, a bitterly disappointing outcome for a club touted as a top four contender pre-season.
3. Friday night fights
Richmond’s willingness to engage in scuffles and melees was greater than its stomach for the real contest, for much of this game. Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin received close attention from Kane Mitchell and Brad Ebert respectively, leading to numerous scuffles. There was also a brief melee at the quarter-time break. But the Tigers’ willingness to fly the flag didn’t result in goals. It was the fifth loss from five Friday night starts for Richmond this year. The aggregate margin of those five losses is more than 200 points.
4. A Euro special from the skipper
Richmond was coming during the third term. After a disastrous opening to the second quarter, the Tigers kicked five goals to two to be within three-goals entering time-on during the third term after Jack Riewoldt snapped a fine goal. Enter Travis Boak. The captain’s clever soccer effort, worthy of a goal from Euro 2016, from close to 25m out lifted the home crowd and Boak’s teammates alike. It was a turning point in the match. The unsung hero during the passage of play leading to Boak’s goal was returning forward Jay Schultz, whose lunging tackle forced the ball free into the skipper’s path. Boak was best afield, lifting his form at just the right moment after a struggle over the past month.
5. Mitchell’s icing goal a win for the battlers
Every Power player got around Kane Mitchell as he slotted a brilliant goal from the boundary in the dying minutes of the contest. In reality the match was well and truly over by then, but it just showed the popularity of the Sandover Medal winner. In four seasons since earning a rookie spot at Port, Mitchell has ground out 32 games and every inch from of his 174cm frame. This was his first match in 2016 and he has forced coach Ken Hinkley to select him again against the Hawks next Thursday. The 26-year-old had 24 possessions, eight tackles and helped nullify Trent Cotchin around the stoppages. He contributed immensely to a win which keeps Port’s slim final hopes alive.
