With a week off after the bye, the Power welcomed the return of skipper Dom Cassisi to the side following his first game for SANFL side West Adelaide in eight years.
He was selected to start on the bench in the Round 13 clash with West Coast Eagles at Patersons Stadium, alongside Daniel Motlop and Matthew Broadbent, with youngster Ben Jacobs picked as the substitute for the game, which saw Michael Pettigrew finally hit the 100 game mark.
To begin the game Matt Thomas won the initial clearance but the ball was turned over, with Thomas making a bad error on half-forward - his second effort was exemplary as he lay a big tackle to stop the Eagles momentum. The Eagles won the clearance through hard spreading and brought it forward and scored a point to open proceedings, then kicked another to follow it.
LeCras opened proceedings for the Eagles after a number of shots on goal, after Kennedy crashed the pack with ferocity and West Coast had men out the back for the easy give and go goal.
West Coast’s ability to spread wide and run hard allowed them to kick a couple of nice goals, with Kennedy crashing packs and creating a goal for LeCras to run onto in the square. The Power was able to open their goalscoring for the day through Gray, who used his body to out-position his opponent and take a strong mark and goal.
As the quarter drew to a close Broadbent roved the pack beautifully but his snap around the body was just wide of the goals as the Eagles took a handy break into quarter time.
QUARTER TIME: 1.3.9 to 3.6.24. Goal: Gray. Possessions: Boak, Chaplin and Thomas 6, Brogan, Cassisi, Cornes and Gray 5.
Naitanui started the term by winning the tap, sharking the rove and storming forward - only to have it cut off by Chaplin, who picked out Phillips. His kick hit Gray inside 50, but his shot was wide.
A superb long kick from Hurn outside 50 was the first goal for the quarter in what was a sloppy game, until Selwood drilled one from the pocket to really break the game open and make it a 5 goal game 10 minutes into the second term.
A nice piece of play from the back pocket with run and carry thanks to Pittard saw Cassisi have a shot on goal, but it sailed wide. The subsequent kick in was cut off by Chaplin, who hit Boak on the flank - he went back and kicked the Power’s second goal for the day.
They won the centre clearance from the bounce but a checkside snap by Motlop sailed wide - Broadbent cut the kick in off, handballed to Pearce, who goaled. The Power were suddenly playing with far greater intensity and effort.
Another big contest up forward saw the ball fall over the back and again LeCras ducked out the back to boot another goal. But Port’s endeavour was much better - they finished the quarter peppering away at goals without putting a major score on the board. Unfortunately it went the other way, with Kennedy kicking one on his left as the quarter entered the closing moments of the first half, then Priddis took a strong mark and checksided a goal to push the margin back out beyond the 5 goal margin.
HALF TIME: 3.8.26 to 8.10.58. Goals: Gray, Boak and Pearce. Possessions: Gray and Pearce 13, Chaplin 12, Cornes 11, Boak, Pettigrew and Thomas 10 apiece.
Port’s ability to win the clearances continued with Cornes hitting Motlop on the half-forward flank, who kicked long to where Westhoff was able to mark with strength. He made no mistake with the set shot.
Once again the Power won the clearance and Dan Stewart took a strong mark and goaled, then another clearance saw Phillips dribble a ripper along the boundary for a goal. Port’s intensity was right up and in the Eagles’ face, but some terrific transition play from defence to attack finally saw LeCras have another shot, but he missed well wide.
A long kick from Naitanui after a free kick following some great transition football thanks to a long kick by Hurn saw him goal to give the Eagles their first major for the third term. The Power worked the ball forward and missed a shot on goal but effected the turnover from the kick-in, with Boak running into an open goal.
Hurn continued his impressive kicking display, kicking one from about 60m out, with Stewart subbed out of the game in favour of the run of Jacobs as the rain came down. For the first time in the quarter the Eagles were able to win the centre square clearance, with a shot on goal for Kennedy seeing him kick truly to boot his third for the game.
Schulz took an absolutely spectacular mark at the 25 minute mark of the term, with the Power working the ball along the boundary line before a defensive punch from West Coast went straight to Trengove who nailed it with the shot on goal.
THREE QUARTER TIME: 8.9.57 to 11.14.80. Goals: Boak 2, Gray, Pearce, Westhoff, Stewart, Phillips, Trengove. Possessions: Pearce 21, Gray 19, Cassisi 17, Chaplin and Cornes 16, Thomas 15, Boak and Hartlett 14.
The key to winning games of football is usually the clearances, and the Eagles ability to win the stoppage at the beginning of the term created a goal for Ebert, before a fantastic piece of play by Selwood in the square saw the Eagles add another goal to the score.
Port was able to win the clearance from the centre square bounce and Boak was the beneficiary - he kicked it forward then buttered up to snap around his body to boot his third of the game.
A nicely executed set play saw Cassisi mark inside the 50 and hand it off to Hartlett, who kicked truly. The Power continued to work hard, win stoppages, and push the ball forward - O’Shea was the next beneficiary from being in the right spot at the right time, making it a 17 point game at the 8 minute mark of the final term.
After having all the momentum in the world, the Power’s run was arrested by Hurn who kicked one from the boundary in an amazing display of skill.
Logan again showed his fearlessness to win the ball in the forward 50 and his kick was true, showcasing his never say die attitude. His tackle to stop a certain Eagles' goal was also fantastic to see.
Schulz marked just prior to the siren and his long kick was true, giving him his first for the game and the final for the day in a loss for the Power.
FINAL SCORE: 13.10.88 to 15.20.110.
Goals: Boak 3, Gray, Pearce, Westhoff, Stewart, Phillips, Trengove, Hartlett, O'Shea, Logan and Schulz.
Possessions: Pearce 29, Cassisi 24, Boak 23, Cornes 22, Thomas 21, Chaplin and Gray 20.
Crowd: 35,059
