DARWIN turned on a perfect day of blue sky and relatively low humidity, with the evening perfect for the match between Port Adelaide Power and Richmond Tigers at TIO Stadium.

Online Game Day: Post-Game Interviews with Hocking, Logan & Motlop

It was the Power’s seventh trip to the top end, with the ‘home team’ Richmond making their first journey to TIO. Andrew Moore was the starting sub, with Hartlett, O’Shea and Jacobs joining him on the pine.

Brogan earned the first free of the game, but the ball was spread wide and Port was unable to maintain control of the ball, with Tigers going forward first. The ball went down one boundary then back the other through Pittard, with the all then coming straight back the other way - very much ping-pong football at the moment. Phillips had the first shot at goal, opening scoring for the Power.

It was terrific to see Port really running hard to spread offensively to create options - whilst unable to put early scoreboard pressure upon the Tigers, Port were definitely on top in general play, working hard defensively and offensively. Logan and Motlop both booted points while the Tigers rushed another, and White missed one for the Tigers, then Riewoldt also failed to kick a major.

Schulz took an absolute screamer against his former side but his kick was wide, meaning another missed shot at goal by the Power. He then earned a free after being scragged without the ball, and snuck it home to give the Power the first goal of the game. The Tigers responded immediately through Vickery to open their major scoreline for the game.

Some terrific defensive efforts saw the Power defend like demons, with Carlile’s smothered effort on Riewoldt on the half-forward flank nothing short of superb. It was a funny old game as the quarter came to a close - low-scoring, but highly entertaining, especially as another light tower blew in the shadows of the quarter coming to a close.

QUARTER TIME: 1.4.10 to 1.2.8. Goal: Schulz. Possessions: Brogan, Logan and Schulz 7, Carlile, Pearce and Pittard 6.

The second term began in semi-darkness, with the Tigers going forward and Foley blazing wide, then Cotchin missing another to tie scores up, then a third point for the opening moments of the term to take the lead. A long kick from outside 50 from Houli saw another Tiger point go on the scoreboard.

It was a rough old game, with poor skills from both sides. The Power were finally able to work the ball forward and a ball over the back fell to Schulz, who hacked it towards goal, where O’Shea was able to soccer it off the ground to give the Power their second goal of the game.

After what seemed like an age, King was able to get the Tigers’ second goal of the game to give them the lead back. A fumble and bumble in the forward 50 saw a Gray snap sail wide and cut the margin to 2 points. Port’s attacking endeavour was superb, but hands in the back went against Schulz after a strong kick forward by Jacobs. Transition footy worked well for the Tigers, with Nahas able to put their third major on the scoreboard. Another nice bit of ball movement along the wing saw Miller mark and kick for goal but his kick drifted wide.

Pittard’s running shot cannoned into the post, while Gray was able to boot his first for the game to tighten it up on the scoreboard. Eventually the Tigers were able to kick their fourth goal of the game through Riewoldt.

HALF-TIME: 3.6.24 to 4.9.33. Goals: Schulz, O’Shea and Gray. Possessions: Westhoff 12, Pearce, Trengove 11 each, Boak, Pittard 10 each, Broadbent, Brogan, Hartlett, Thomas 9 apiece.

O’Shea won the first clearance of the second half but his kick was wide and ineffective, with the ball eventually drifting out of bounds, and the Tigers were able to win the rebound, but it eventually went out for another throw-in. After some seriously worrying times deep in Richmond’s forward line the Power was able to move the ball swiftly and quickly, resulting in Gray booting his second for the game.

More excellent work from Westhoff, having a terrific game, saw Gray spoil the ball, then swoop onto it and gift it to Schulz who put the Power back in front. Gray continued his stellar quarter by chipping the ball over the top to Jacobs, who’d worked so hard down the wing to present inside 50. His shot was true, and all of a sudden Port had kicked the first 3 goals of the term.

Broadbent blotted the copybook by booting a point, but the lead hit double figures. Schulz then earned a free but his kick was similarly wayward. Jackson for the Tigers was able to get the margin back to under 10 points with a snapped kick from a pack about 20 metres out from goal. The Power worked the ball forward from the centre bounce and Broadbent was in the right spot at the right time to snap around his body and make it a 10 point margin once more.

Chaplin was outmarked inside 50 by Martin, who duly leaned back on his kick and booted it truly. The Power won the centre clearance and Thomas earned another free just outside 50. A beautiful show of skill and pace from Boak saw him stream into goal and nail it. The Power won the clearance from the bounce and streamed forward, with Thomas seemingly set to replicate Boak’s effort of mere moments ago…until the ball slammed into the point post and it was out on the full.

Port suddenly were all over the Tiges, and the ball zoomed forward again, with Gray snapping around the body for his third goal of the game. The lead was beginning to become a handy one in the shadows of three-quarter time, but a goal to Grigg saw the margin reduced once more to 11 points.

THREE-QUARTER TIME: 9.9.63 to 7.10.52. Goals: Gray 3, Schulz 2, O’Shea, Jacobs, Boak, Broadbent. Possessions: Boak and Westhoff 19, Pearce, Pittard, Trengove 15, Broadbent and O’Shea 14.

Again the Power started the quarter strongly winning the clearance from the bounce, but a snap around the body from Gray travelled wide. Some terrific running from Broadbent saw a big kick go forward to Westhoff, who continued his terrific game by hauling down a big mark. His kick from just outside 50 was true, making it a 3 goal game.

After a series of comedic errors the ball eventually fell into the lap of Pearce just outside 50, and he chipped it sweetly to Schulz, who booted it truly to make it a 4 goal game. More hard work from Boak saw him having a shot from a long way out, but his shot at goal was wide, making it a 25 point lead. Martin finally gave the Tigers their first score of the quarter, followed by another point to Cotchin, then another to Jackson.

A terrific bit if endeavour by Phillips saw him get on the scoreboard, with Port really running the game out well, before Riewoldt got his second goal of the game, dribbling one through in the square. Gray earned another free in front for chopping of the arms, directly in front, and made no mistake.

A couple of late goals to the Tigers saw them get to within 15 points, but after a horror season so far the Power were simply ecstatic to be back in the winner's circle.

FINAL SCORE: 13.11.89 to 10.14.74.

Goals: Gray 4, Schulz 3, Boak, Westhoff, Boak, Broadbent, O’Shea, Jacobs, Phillips.

Possessions: Boak 23, Westhoff 22, Pearce 20, Broadbent 19, Thomas and Trengove 18, Pittard 17, Hartlett and Logan 16.

Crowd: 11,506