Port Adelaide
Finished minor round: 7th
Last week: Won against Collingwood by 24 points
Geelong
Finished minor round: 2nd
Ranked: Lost against Fremantle by 15 points
Last time
Geelong stormed out of the blocks to gap the Power early at their Simonds Stadium fortress, but Port managed to bridge the final margin back to a respectable 25 points following a seven-goal effort from Angus Monfries.
Round 20, 2013: Port Adelaide 16.8 (104) def by Geelong 20.9 (129) at Simonds Stadium
Form Guide
Past 5: Power 0 v Cats 5
Past 26: Power 8 v Cats 17 (Drawn 1)
The fine print
AFL Second Semi Final
Geelong v Port Adelaide
Friday 13 September
Melbourne Cricket Ground
Brunton Avenue, East Melbourne Vic
First bounce: 7:50pm (AEST) / 7:20pm (ACST)
Live Social: #PAFClive #AFLFinals
Match information
Broadcast guide
Buy tickets
FINALS HUB
Post-game function at Hilton on the Park, 192 Wellington Terrace, Melbourne.
Key Players
1. Brad Ebert
Ebert was on fire last week against the Pies. His 24 disposals at 80 per cent efficiency in addition to a massive nine tackles were exemplary. The Power’s vice-captain leads by example and has played into his best form at just the right point of the 2013 season. He will be expected to bring the same tough, high-pressure game against a side renowned for it.
2. Jackson Trengove and Alipate Carlile
These two will have big jobs on Geelong’s key forwards – likely James Podsiadly and Tom Hawkins – and will need to be on top early against them. Both were impressive last week. Carlile kept Collingwood big man Travis Cloke to just two goals and 11 touches, while Trengove kept Ben Reid scoreless. They need to bring their best shutdown performance.
3. Jay Schulz
Big Schulz had a night out against the Pies and is setting himself beautifully to win the Power’s leading goal kicker merit again this year. He was shortlisted for the Lifebroker Mark of the Year during the week, right after taking another screamer in the elimination final. He’s a huge focal point and has moved well during the last month. Capable of playing up ground as well as across the forward line, Port will need another keynote performance from him on Friday night. He’s a dangerous player to any opposition and, along with Justin Westhoff, a reliable contested mark. If they can cause headaches for the Cats’ defence then also expect the Power’s dynamic small forwards to come to fore.
No fear
Port Adelaide’s captain Travis Boak and super kick Hamish Hartlett say their teammates have no fear of big name opponents and big games.
They don't get much bigger than a knockout semi final against Geelong at the MCG.
Who knows where superstition fits into that fearlessness, but there are certainly two notable myths will align for the semi final.
It’s Friday night on the 13th of September, and typically that means bad luck.
But Port has a surprisingly good record playing on Friday the 13th.
It has done so twice, both in semi finals.
Both were victories.
They also say Cats have nine lives, and given Geelong has won the past nine encounters against the Power, Port supporters will be looking to that superstition for solace as they March to the ‘G on Friday afternoon.
But back to the footy.
Port must start well against the Cats. It’s as simple as that.
The Power finishes games well and has done so against the Cats in their two minor rounds encounters in 2013; conversely, it started both matches poorly.
The Power kicked one point in the first term at AAMI Stadium in May and Geelong booted 6.4 to open proceedings at Simonds in August.
Port can ill-afford to let that happen on Friday.
It will come to Trengove and Carlile to take the key Geelong forwards – James Podsiadly and, presuming he plays, Tom Hawkins.
The enigmatic Steve Johnson could find himself tracked by any of Port’s run-with players – Kane Cornes and Dom Cassisi are the Power’s seasoned taggers and would be likely contenders.
And then there’s the question of the Cats skipper Joel Selwood – who will curb his influence sufficient to prevent a repeat of his best on ground performance in Round 20? Again one of Cornes or Cassisi springs to mind, but others like Cam O'Shea and Andrew Moore have been challenged to tag big names throughout this year and could be given the task again.
Port’s strength all year has been its youth department.
Ruckman Matt Lobbe, young defenders O'Shea, Tom Jonas and Sam Colquhoun and talented midfielders Chad Wingard, Ollie Wines and Aaron Young all have impressed throughout season 2013 and will need to bring their ‘A game’ against the Cats.
Their performances varied between solid and superb against Collingwood last week.
While Wingard and Wines headlined up forward, it was super-sub Aaron Young’s impressive 11-disposal performance in the final term that flew under the radar.
He has slipped into this side perfectly and his example is one that highlights the quality of player management at Alberton.
Geelong will fight hard and the Power knows that. They have six years of pain at the hands of the Cats and senior coach Ken Hinkley knows that better than anyone, having been in the other coaches' box for two of those as an assistant coach for the navy blue and white.
With genuine rain forecast for Melbourne on Friday night, Port knows it will be in for an old fashioned slog against Geelong and if it can hold with the Cats throughout the night, it will have another real chance to finish well and place itself in the frame for a win.
It will just hope it's Friday 13th form continues in semi finals.
portadelaidefc.com.au will have ongoing coverage of the Power's semi final against the Cats in the build up to Friday night.
They also say Cats have nine lives, and given Geelong has won the past nine encounters against the Power, Port supporters will be looking to that superstition for solace as they March to the ‘G on Friday afternoon.
But back to the footy.
Port must start well against the Cats. It’s as simple as that.
The Power finishes games well and has done so against the Cats in their two minor rounds encounters in 2013; conversely, it started both matches poorly.
The Power kicked one point in the first term at AAMI Stadium in May and Geelong booted 6.4 to open proceedings at Simonds in August.
Port can ill-afford to let that happen on Friday.
It will come to Trengove and Carlile to take the key Geelong forwards – James Podsiadly and, presuming he plays, Tom Hawkins.
The enigmatic Steve Johnson could find himself tracked by any of Port’s run-with players – Kane Cornes and Dom Cassisi are the Power’s seasoned taggers and would be likely contenders.
And then there’s the question of the Cats skipper Joel Selwood – who will curb his influence sufficient to prevent a repeat of his best on ground performance in Round 20? Again one of Cornes or Cassisi springs to mind, but others like Cam O'Shea and Andrew Moore have been challenged to tag big names throughout this year and could be given the task again.
Port’s strength all year has been its youth department.
Ruckman Matt Lobbe, young defenders O'Shea, Tom Jonas and Sam Colquhoun and talented midfielders Chad Wingard, Ollie Wines and Aaron Young all have impressed throughout season 2013 and will need to bring their ‘A game’ against the Cats.
Their performances varied between solid and superb against Collingwood last week.
While Wingard and Wines headlined up forward, it was super-sub Aaron Young’s impressive 11-disposal performance in the final term that flew under the radar.
He has slipped into this side perfectly and his example is one that highlights the quality of player management at Alberton.
Geelong will fight hard and the Power knows that. They have six years of pain at the hands of the Cats and senior coach Ken Hinkley knows that better than anyone, having been in the other coaches' box for two of those as an assistant coach for the navy blue and white.
With genuine rain forecast for Melbourne on Friday night, Port knows it will be in for an old fashioned slog against Geelong and if it can hold with the Cats throughout the night, it will have another real chance to finish well and place itself in the frame for a win.
It will just hope it's Friday 13th form continues in semi finals.
portadelaidefc.com.au will have ongoing coverage of the Power's semi final against the Cats in the build up to Friday night.
