PORT Adelaide's finals aspirations are hanging by a thread following the club’s narrow four-point loss to Richmond in front of 20,923 fans at AAMI Stadium.
The Power trailed by 28 points at three-quarter time, but a five-goal last term saw the home side claw within four points before a saving mark (his 23rd for the game) in the goal square from Joel Bowden secured the Tigers win, 20.7 (127) to 19.9 (123).
Dom Cassisi was superb for Port Adelaide with 23 possessions and nine clearances, while Kane Cornes kept Brett Deledio to a mere 14 possessions.
Dean Brogan and David Rodan tried hard for four quarters and Daniel Motlop continued his stellar season with six goals.
Bowden was brilliant for the visitors and youngsters Cleve Hughes and Mitch Morton combined for 11 goals.
The loss was further soured by apparent injuries to Peter Burgoyne (hamstring), Chad Cornes (calf/knee) and Steve Salopek (Achilles).
Rodan responded to his delisting from Richmond with a career-best season in 2007 and he rubbed more salt into the wounds of Tigers fans with a goal in the opening minute on Saturday afternoon.
Brett Ebert celebrated his return from injury with the home side’s second and the Power jumped out to a 12-point lead before the Tigers fired their first shot courtesy of a Nathan Brown special.
Brown’s left-foot snap triggered another goal, this time to last week’s NAB Rising Star Trent Cotchin, who levelled the scores.
The shoot-out continued as defence gave way to all-out attack and both teams easily found space.
Power skipper Warren Tredrea capitalised on a Richmond error, but the Tigers responded with two goals apiece to Morton and Hughes.
Motlop and Kane Cornes replied with majors for Port Adelaide, but Richmond withstood the onslaught and fired back.
Matthew Richardson escaped the grasp of Troy Chaplin to kick his first and when Chris Hyde nailed a long bomb from outside 50m, the Tigers had their best ever first quarter against Port Adelaide and a 17-point lead at quarter time.
A rainbow appeared over AAMI Stadium at the start of the second quarter, but it failed to brighten the day of Chad Cornes, who copped another injury to his already sore right leg.
The Power, however, appeared in better shape and streaked away with the opening four goals of the term. Kane Cornes got on top of Deledio, keeping him to just five touches for the half while racking up 14 of his own and was well supported by Cassisi, Rodan and Steve Salopek.
Chaplin, who followed Richardson when he pushed up the ground, got one back on his opponent and subsequent goals to Motlop and Tredrea, restored Port Adelaide’s lead.
Dean Polo sparked the Tigers back into action with some clever work on the boundary line setting up a goal to Jack Riewoldt.
Jordan McMahon got involved in the goal scoring fest, but when Morton and Motlop both added to their tallies, the margin was a mere three points at half time.
Joel Bowden, Shane Tuck, Nathan Foley and McMahon racked up 38 possessions combined in the third term as Richmond slammed on seven goals.
Lobethal lad Cleve Hughes continued his day out with four third-quarter goals extending his tally to six and Morton, not to be outdone, added another two to his total.
At the other end Motlop slotted through his fifth, but Port Adelaide still trailed by 28 points at the final change.
The Power, guilty of fading out during final quarters in the past, actually surged in the last term with goals to Ebert, Motlop and two to Tom Logan reducing the margin to just four points. But a saving mark to birthday boy Bowden ensured a narrow Tigers victory.
Port Adelaide: 6.2 11.6 14.8 19.9 (127)
Richmond: 9.1 12.3 19.6 20.7 (127)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Motlop 6, Tredrea, Ebert, Logan 2, Rodan, K Cornes, S Burgoyne, Chaplin, Gray, Lade, Boak. Richmond: Hughes 6, Morton 5, Richardson 3, Brown 2, Riewoldt, Cotchin, Hyde, McMahon
BEST
Port Adelaide: Cassisi, Motlop, Brogan, Rodan, K Cornes. Richmond: Bowden, Tuck, Foley, Hughes, Polak, Richardson, Morton
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: C Cornes (calf), P Burgoyne (hamstring), Salopek (Achilles). Richmond: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Kennedy, Schmitt, Fila
Official crowd: 20,923
