PORT ADELAIDE has confirmed a top-two finish and a couple of home finals with a comfortable 50-point win over Essendon in the penultimate round of the AFL season.
Port powered away with a five-goals-to-none second quarter and conceded just two goals after quarter time to run out 11.13 (79) to 4.5 (29) winners at a wet Adelaide Oval.
The rain set in just ahead of the first bounce, making for greasy conditions to start the game.
Port started well in front of a vocal home crowd, showing clean hands and good early composure to get the ball inside 50 repeatedly.
Charlie Dixon, in his 150th AFL match, was the focal point, taking three marks in good position but only managing to finish off one with a goal.
It came after a miraculous one-handed mark just outside the goal square that had him line up on a tight angle. It proved no barrier as the big man kicked around his body to get the ball rolling.
From there the Bombers clawed their way back into the game with Darcy Parish getting them first use with some strong work around the clearances.
His goal had them just a point behind and then Sam Draper roved nicely off a pack to put them up by five points at the first change.
After some stern words from coach Ken Hinkley at the break, Port came out all guns blazing. Karl Amon had a shot on goal after a nice build-up but sprayed it across goal.
Dixon then took a strong mark after a repeat entry and nailed the 20-metre set shot.
It was all Port from there as the home side piled on 5.5 to just two points for the quarter to take a 28-point lead into half time.
Peter Ladhams was clever on his return to the side after serving a three-match COVID-19 breach suspension and showed his ability to get the ball from hand to foot with speed to snap a goal straight from a ruck contest.
Not to be outdone, Sam Powell-Pepper snapped a big goal from the boundary after an out on the full free kick, and then Brad Ebert nailed a long goal from outside 50 on the bounce.
When Robbie Gray roved off Dixon and finished with class off the outside of his foot, the Bombers looked in trouble.
Port simply looked cleaner and more composed despite the wet conditions and were dominating the inside 50s (27-17) and marks inside 50 (6-1).
Kept goalless, the Bombers would count themselves lucky not to be further behind, and they might have been had Port been more accurate.
It was a low scoring third quarter with both sides managing a goal each.
Tom Cutler had the first for the Bombers after 18 minutes after marking 20 metres out directly in front.
Tom Rockliff was brilliant in the quarter racking up nine disposals and a quick kick out of the pack goal that ended a run of seven straight behinds from the home side.
The rain was coming down heavier than ever by the last change but the scoring had certainly dried up, yet Port’s lead was 34 points and the Bombers were up against it with the conditions against them.
The game was all but over when Ollie Wines got on the end of some clever chip passes and goaled from 35 metres out but the Bombers continued to fight – quite literally as several fiery incidents played out including a melee involving nearly half of the players on centre wing.
Brayden Ham booted a goal after a turnover to give the visitors some joy but Travis Boak continued his strong form, bouncing a goal home after a clever tap on by Gray, and he then hit Xavier Duursma on the chest with a centring pass and the youngster nailed the 30-metre set shot.
When Steven Motlop goaled from a 50-metre set shot in the last minute – a decision that had to be reviewed to see if it had been touched on the line – the margin was out to a game high 50 points and the Power’s position at the top of the ladder was secure for another week at least.
SCOREBOARD
PORT ADELAIDE 1.2 6.7 7.13 11.13 (79)
ESSENDON 2.1 2.3 3.3 4.5 (29)
Goals
Dixon 2, Ladhams, Powell-Pepper, Ebert, Gray, Rockliff, Wines, Boak, Duursma, Motlop
Best
Rockliff, Wines, Hartlett, Boak, Ebert, Byrne-Jones, Dixon, McKenzie
Crowd
Approx. 18,000 at Adelaide Oval
