PORT ADELAIDE has ground out its second win of the season, defeating Richmond by 15 points in energy-sapping conditions at TIO Stadium in Darwin on Saturday night.
The Power trailed by nine points at half-time, but broke open the low-scoring game with six goals to three in the third quarter to set up the 13.11 (89) to 10.14 (74) win.
It wasn't raining in Darwin, but both teams played the match as if in the midst of a tropical downpour thanks to the dew brought on by the tropical humidity.
Kicks went astray, attempted marks hit the deck and handballs missed the target more often than not as each team managed a solitary goal in the first quarter.
The Power failed to capitalise on its early dominance and was left to rue several spurned opportunities when the Tigers took control in the second.
But just as Port failed to hit the scoreboard, so too did Richmond as five behinds ticked over before Jake King booted his team's second goal.
Jack Riewoldt was rarely sighted in the first half, but the Tiger spearhead took the first mark by any player on the ground inside 50 to goal with less than a minute left in the second term to give his team a nine-point lead at the main break.
But just when it appeared Richmond was poised to go away with the contest, the Power came out with renewed vigour and launched a withering burst of three goals to start the second half.
Their run and pressure had the Tigers on the back foot for most of the third quarter with a Shaun Grigg goal in the last minute required to bring the margin back to 11 points.
Damien Hardwick's men were still well in the hunt as the final term got underway, but Port quickly set about dashing their hopes of moving into the top eight with the first three goals of the quarter sealing the win.
QUARTER BY QUARTER
FIRST QUARTER
Jack Riewoldt looked set to kick the first goal but gave away a free kick to Michael Pettigrew. Brad Miller looked a chance to kick the first goal moments later but the ball was stripped from his hands. Both teams had plenty of chances but it wasn't until Jay Schulz converted from a free kick at the 21-minute mark that the first goal went on the board. Moments before he provided one of the game's highlights with a towering pack mark. Tyrone Vickery pegged that back a minute later when a chance slipped to him out the back of the pack.
Brett Deledio was hard at it in the first quarter while Schulz was Port Adelaide's most dominant player.
SECOND QUARTER
Once again we had to wait a little while for the first goal of the quarter. This time, however, it was only eight minutes until Cameron O'Shea soccered one through from the goal square to give Port Adelaide a four point lead. The Tigers kicked three of the next four to go into the main break with a nine-point lead. Bachar Houli had 11 disposals and three rebounds from the defensive 50 for the quarter. The Darwin crowd that had come to watch the exciting Jack Riewoldt strut his stuff finally got a glimpse of his brilliance in the dying minutes of the half when he took a strong contested mark and kicked truly for his first goal.
THIRD QUARTER
The frustrations of the first half were quickly forgotten as skills lifted and a sense of contest swept over Marrara. Port Adelaide booted the first three goals to wrestle back the lead and finished with six in total for the quarter. The Tigers kept with them, booting three of their own but momentum took an obvious shift. Robbie Gray booted two goals and had a hand in two others as Port Adelaide took control of the game.
Travis Boak had nine disposals, five of which were contested possessions.
Dean Brogan kept on throwing himself into every ruck contest and working the ball to his midfielders' advantage.
FOURTH QUARTER
A slog as both teams tired in the warm conditions. It didn't look like it was going to be much of a goal-fest until some easy goals came through at the end.
Port Adelaide kicked the first three goals of the final term to seal the win. Richmond pegged them back with three of the last four but the result was already decided. Richmond got the ball in its attacking territory but never looked dangerous until the game reached time-on and the Power had sealed it.
Richmond 1.2 4.9 7.10 10.14 (74)
Port Adelaide 1.4 3.6 9.9 13.11 (89)
GOALS
Richmond: Riewoldt 3, King 2, Nahas, Grigg, Jackson, Martin, Vickery
Port Adelaide: Gray 4, Schulz 3, Boak, Broadbent, Jacobs, O'Shea, Phillips, Westhoff
BEST
Richmond: Houli, Foley, Jackson, Nahas, Grigg, Martin
Port Adelaide: Brogan, Gray, Westhoff, Boak, Broadbent, K Cornes, Pearce
INJURIES
Richmond: None
Port Adelaide: None
SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Brad Miller replaced by Shane Tuck in the third quarter
Port Adelaide: Cameron Hitchcock replaced by Andrew Moore in the last quarter
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Farmer, Kamolins, Ryan
Official crowd: 11,506 at TIO Stadium
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL
