PORT ADELAIDE has suffered another heartbreaking defeat at home, this time at the hands of North Melbourne.
The Roos won by a mere two points 10.16 (76) to 10.14 (74) in front of 19, 851 fans at AAMI Stadium in the round-15 clash.
The Power led by 10 points at the final change, but the Kangaroos, with their season on the line, fought back and kicked three-straight goals in the last term to set up the win.
Warren Tredrea had a chance to snatch victory for his side with less than a minute remaining, but his tough shot from the boundary line was off target and the siren sounded on another narrow loss.
Troy Chaplin, Jacob Surjan and Michael Pettigrew were brave in defence, while Brett Ebert was the best of the forwards with three goals.
Port Adelaide vowed to drive the ball more quickly into attack on Saturday and it took less than two minutes of the match for the ploy to pay off.
Power runners David Rodan, Danyle Pearce and Daniel Motlop all got involved as gutsy utility Greg Bentley floated forward to kick the opening goal of the game.
A saving tackle from Troy Chaplin prevented a quick North Melbourne reply, but Chad Cornes’ turnover undid his teammate’s hard work and gifted a major to Roos skipper Adam Simpson.
Both sides had opportunities to add goals in an inaccurate first term, but it took some more magic from Rodan’s dancing feet to set up the home side’s second.
The pint-sized Fijian slipped three tackles and caressed the ball to Motlop, who found Brett Ebert all alone in the goal square.
Brent Harvey, again, tried to respond for the visitors, but, again, took one step too many and was run down 30m out from goal, this time by a diving Michael Pettigrew.
North Melbourne continued to attack and local lad Scott McMahon was the beneficiary with the first of his two goals.
The Power shifted up a gear and started to exploit the visitors’ lack of pace with consecutive goals for the first time in the game.
Nathan Lonie let loose with a trademark left-foot bomb in his 100th game and hard bodied midfielder Adam Thomson followed up with a major of his own.
A ruck mix-up in defence halted Port Adelaide’s momentum and handed a goal to Drew Petrie and a dubious free kick to Nathan Thompson gave North Melbourne an unlikely three-point lead at quarter time.
The second quarter unfolded in stark contrast to the first with both teams tightening up defensively.
The Power’s pressure was fierce, but four bounces and a pinpoint pass from Brent Harvey set up a goal to McMahon and another to Daniel Harris pushed North Melbourne’s lead out to 16 points.
Justin Westhoff kept Port Adelaide in the game with a strong overhead mark and goal, but the highlight of the term again went to Chaplin.
The impressive defender emphasised his team’s commitment with another chase, this time on Matt Campbell, to prevent a certain goal and keep the Power within nine points at the long break.
Port Adelaide carried the momentum of Chaplin’s act into the third term with four goals-to-one in a dominant display.
Shaun Burgoyne, who was stationed up forward, made up for two earlier misses with a brilliant tackle and goal. The lead changed hands three times in the quarter as Lonie, Daniel Wells and Brett Ebert all went goal for goal.
Damon White, who pulled a hamstring, cast a forlorn shadow on the Port Adelaide bench, but the Power found inspiration in a courageous spoil from Jacob Surjan, which set up another goal to Ebert and gave the home side a ten-point lead at the final change.
Poor decision-making brought the Power undone in the last term with North Melbourne slamming on three-straight goals through second-gamer Ben Ross, David Hale and Lindsay Thomas, keeping the Roos finals hopes alive.
A goal to Daniel Motlop gave the home side a faint glimmer of hope and Tredrea had a chance to snatch victory with a shot in the dying seconds, but the resulting behind ensured a Kangaroos win.
NORTH MELBOURNE 4.6 6.10 7.13 10.16 (76)
PORT ADELAIDE 4.3 5.7 9.11 10.14 (74)
Goals:
North Melbourne: S McMahon 2 D Pratt N Thompson D Petrie A Simpson D Wells D Hale B Ross L Thomas. Port Adelaide: B Ebert 3 N Lonie 2 A Thomson S Burgoyne G Bentley J Westhoff D Motlop.
Best:
North Melbourne: S McMahon N Thompson B Rawlings D Wells A Simpson L Thomas. Port Adelaide: B Ebert K Cornes J Surjan T Chaplin N Lonie.
Umpires: H Kennedy H Ryan M Nicholls.
Official Crowd: 19,851 at AAMI Stadium.
