PORT ADELAIDE has continued its unbeaten start to 2020, recording a powerful 48-point win over West Coast, to celebrate Brad Ebert’s 250th game in style.
Against Ebert’s old side, Port saw off a third quarter challenge to restrict the Eagles to just six goals and remain at the top of the AFL ladder.
Eager to get back on the winners’ list after consecutive losses in Queensland, West Coast started with high intensity, and both sides traded behinds under immense pressure from each other.
It took more than 12 minutes until the deadlock was broken, and with star defender Jeremy McGovern a late withdrawal, it was his likely opponent Charlie Dixon who booted the first major from a 45-metre set shot.
The big man was at the heart of the action in the first quarter. His second goal after a strong mark on the lead when Hamish Hartlett nailed him with a 45-metre flat pass put the Port Adelaide side 20 points up at the first change.
Trent McKenzie and skipper Tom Jonas were solid in defence, repelling several Eagles attacks with McKenzie’s strong pack mark and a later defensive punch to prevent a certain goal the highlights.
Port’s pressure inside 50 led to goals to Justin Westhoff from a set shot and 250-gamer Brad Ebert, who cleverly soccered off the ground.
The ruck battle between Scott Lycett and his former teammate Nic Naitanui was proving enthralling as the second term went on.
Lycett might have claimed points by the half way mark of the contest – his 10 disposals, 12 hit-outs, four tackles and five clearances had him as the highest ranked player on the ground, while Naitanui finished the stronger with a dominant second half.
It was a hit-out to advantage by Lycett that got the scoring going in the second quarter. His tap to Robbie Gray allowed the star forward to hand off to Hartlett running past, and the defender did the rest from outside 50 to extend the lead to 28-points.
Dixon continued to be a presence and was unlucky to have a mark on the goal line controversially ruled out – Port’s second clear mark not paid.
Seconds later the Eagles went down the other end and recruit Tim Kelly replied somewhat fortunately after his initial shot was smothered.
But Dixon eventually got his third goal after taking possession with brute strength and being tripped. He easily slotted the resulting set shot from 30 metres out in the pocket.
West Coast started to play careful football to keep possession but kept finding it tough to break through, and with just two goals to half time trailed the ladder leaders by 27-points at the main change.
The experienced Eagles were always expended to respond and they did in style with the opening three goals of the third term through livewire Liam Ryan and a double to Josh Kennedy to take his tally to three.
But Port worked its way back into the game and Westhoff stopped the rot by snapping his second goal after dancing into trouble when it appeared he had an open goal to aim for.
When Dixon booted his fourth and Todd Marshall climbed high to mark 15 metres out and snap the goal, the Adelaide side led by 27 points again.
Port Adelaide’s pressure in the forward half was making it hard for the Eagles to escape and Steven Motlop created a goal by fending off an opponent and finding Karl Amon in space – the wingman with a composed finish from 35 metres out to extend the lead to 37-points at the final change.
When Kennedy booted his fourth, seven minutes into the last quarter there was a glimmer of hope of a comeback, but Dixon took two strong marks in almost exactly the same spot about 20 metres out from goal to boot his fifth and sixth goals to cap a stellar performance and move to the top of the Coleman Medal count despite missing round 1.
Fittingly, Ebert sealed the win with a clever quick shot in traffic to nail his second goal and Port’s 13th.
While it was a celebration for Ebert, Eagles Lewis Jetta and Jack Darling may want to quickly forget their respective 200th games.
The result means Port Adelaide remains unbeaten at Metricon Stadium in eight visits.
SCOREBOARD
PORT ADELAIDE 4.4 6.7 10.11 13.11 (89)
WEST COAST 1.2 2.4 5.4 6.5 (41)
Goals
Dixon 6, Westhoff, Ebert 2, Hartlett, Marshall, Amon
Best
Dixon, Lycett, Hartlett, Boak, Jonas, Clurey, Butters, Ebert
Crowd
6000 at Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast
