1. A fair old scrap I
It had been 378 days since they last met on a night not unlike Saturday's affair, with drizzling rain and a sopping wet ground having a huge say in the style of play. That match, in round 21 last season, saw a nine-point Port win after a hard-fought slog in miserable conditions at Metricon Stadium. This time around was much the same, despite the usual end-of-season media talk of clubs having nothing to play for. Both teams will happily wish farewell to 2015 and hope for better fortunes next year, but there wasn't a player on the ground who didn't put his body on the line when his turn came. Horribly undermanned, the Suns are a team whose performance and maturity has improved across the season, giving Rodney Eade plenty to work with in the summer. The win makes it five wins from six games for the Power.
REVIEW: Power v Suns as it happened
2. A fair old scrap II
Tempers well and truly flared just before the half-time siren when what could be called an old fashioned 'all-in' took place on the boundary line. It was certainly much more than the usual push and shove, and will surely draw the attention of the Match Review Panel. Lauded for his leadership throughout the season, Suns forward Tom Lynch was in the thick of the action, finishing the melee shirtless after his jumper was tossed into the stands. It ended an eventful half for Lynch. Most notably after he angered young teammate Jack Martin, who had some words with Lynch after the big forward gave away a free kick off the ball as the Suns were streaming forward.
3. There's something about Sam
Sam Gray announced himself as Port Adelaide's 'other Gray' with a brilliant ball-winning display against Hawthorn last Friday night, and he followed it up with another classy display here. Much like Port's more famous Gray – Robbie – Sam's one-touch, clean handling was a highlight throughout. He finished with 37 possessions after 34 against the Hawks, until Saturday night, a career-best. Add the bubbly presence of Brendon Ah Chee and the hard-working Nathan Krakouer to the mix and the Power have at least found a couple of players to look toward next season with confidence.
4. The end is nigh
Port Adelaide will finish its season with a Saturday afternoon clash against ladder-leader Fremantle at Adelaide Oval. Depending on the result, Ken Hinkley's men will finish a disappointing campaign placed anywhere from ninth to 12th. The Suns travel to Sydney for a final round battle against the Swans, who will still have a top-four position on the line. These games will be mere footnotes to the big questions that will come with the arrival of footy's silly season. And there's plenty to ponder, among them the rumoured move of Dixon to Port, while the Power's full-forward, Jay Schulz, looks likely to be at another club next season. Who will captain the Suns and what will Rodney Eade do to his list after a full season scrutinising it? And, the big one – accurate or not, Jaeger O'Meara's future as a Sun is being constantly questioned … in Victoria at least
HINKLEY: We want to end tough 2015 with tough footy
Source: AFL.com.au
