PORT ADELAIDE has failed in its bid to win consecutive games going down to a valiant Fremantle by 28 points 15.11 (101) to 20.9 (129) in front of 19.072 fans at AAMI Stadium.

The Power recovered from 36 points down at half time to claim the lead in the third quarter, but Fremantle had too much scoring power with an equal-AFL record 16 individual goalkickers.

Youngster Justin Westhoff and skipper Warren Tredrea were superb up forward, each finishing with four goals, while Dom Cassisi, Kane Cornes and Steve Salopek worked hard in the middle.

Fremantle was dealt a blow of the greatest magnitude before the opening bounce, losing superstar Matthew Pavlich to a niggling knee injury.

The skipper’s absence saw Port Adelaide’s odds of winning shorten, but failed to dampen Fremantle’s spirit.

The visitors, led by Pavlich’s replacement Rhys Palmer, Josh Carr and 100-gamer Byron Schammer, completely dominated a flat looking Port Adelaide in the first quarter, slamming on six goals to none.

The Power, coming off a great win over bitter rivals Adelaide, lacked intensity and were held goalless for the first time in an opening quarter this season.

Hard nut Mark Johnson opened the scoring with a clever roving goal and former Port Adelaide premiership star Josh Carr slotted Fremantle’s second from a Power turnover in defence.

Port Adelaide burned the ball and wasted opportunities inside 50m with just three shots on goal for the quarter.

Fremantle continued its superior work rate and the Power struggled to contain the opposition’s tall forwards.

Luke McPharlin got on the end of two pinpoint passes and capitalised with two majors, while man mountain Aaron Sandilands and defender Antoni Grover also got among the goals and helped extend Fremantle’s lead to 36 points at quarter time.

The lights came on for the Power in the second quarter as they orchestrated a significant shift in momentum. Vice-captain Shaun Burgoyne tried hard to ignite his team with a strong tackle in the opening minute and the end result was Port Adelaide’s first goal of the game to ruckman Dean Brogan.

The Power generated nine inside 50ms for the quarter and increased their efficiency with eight shots on goal.

Port Adelaide’s twin towers, Warren Tredrea and Justin Westhoff, took turns in tormenting the Fremantle defence with five goals-combined for the term.

Westhoff, an architecture student, worked the angles brilliantly and conjured two-consecutive goals off the outside of the boot to reduce the margin to 19 points.

Tredrea, who had presented well without success in the first term, proved too strong for Grover and, also, Steven Dodd and booted two goals of his own.

Mark Johnson steadied the ship for Fremantle, crashing a pack and dribbling through his second goal, but Westhoff set up Tredrea for his third goal of the term and the Power clawed within 13 at half time.

Westhoff, a former NAB Rising Star nominee, picked up where he left off in the third term with two goals to reduce the margin to just two points.

The Power looked like steamrolling the gallant visitors, but Fremantle, again, defied the odds and went goal-for-goal with the home side in a seesawing quarter.

Sandilands dominated the hit-outs and veteran Shaun McManus capitalised on a comical passage of play after the ball bounced off McPharlin’s foot onto his shin and then over the goal line.

The two sides took turns in winning the clearances with defensive actions making way for the attacking, 12-goal term. Tredrea joined Westhoff with four goals after a down the field free kick and when Kane Cornes got the ball out to workhorse Dom Cassisi, the Power had the lead for the first time in the game.

Fremantle, who has struggled to close out games this season, was determined not to let this one slip and regained the lead with three-consecutive goals to Brett Peake, Chris Tarrant and Chris Mayne.

The Power responded when Danyle Pearce weaved some magic with a goal out of the pack but, at the other end of the ground, David Mundy was up to the challenge and goaled from a similar position.

Two late goals to youngsters Josh Head and Garrick Ibbotson saw Fremantle’s lead back out to 27 points at the final change.

Cassisi gave Port Adelaide the perfect start in the final term with his second goal, but Fremantle would not lie down, as Ryan Crowley chimed in with two majors.

Shaun Burgoyne and two goals to, the otherwise, quiet Daniel Motlop continued the Power’s surge, but when Palmer and Thornton became Fremantle’s 15th and 16th individual goalkickers, the result was all but sealed.

MATCH DETAILS

Port Adelaide  0.3 6.5 11.6 15.11 (101)
Fremantle          6.3 8.6 15.9 20.9 (129)

GOALS
Port Adelaide: Tredrea, Westhoff 4, Cassisi, Motlop 2, Brogan, Pearce, S Burgoyne
Fremantle: Mark Johnson 3, McPharlin, Crowley, Carr, Grover, Sandilands, Murphy, Head, Mayne, Mundy, Ibbotson, Tarrant, Peake, McManus, Palmer, Thornton.

BEST
Port Adelaide: Westhoff, Tredrea, K Cornes, Cassisi, Pearce
Fremantle: Palmer, Crowley, Schammer, Sandilands, Mark Johnson,

INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Salopek (Achilles), Tredrea (shoulder), Chaplin (ankle)
Fremantle: Pavlich (knee) replaced in selected side by Palmer, Warnock (TBA)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: S. Stewart, R. Chamberlain, S. Jeffery

Official crowd: 19,072 at AAMI Stadium

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or the clubs.