UNDERMANNED Port Adelaide’s eight-point win over North Adelaide and coach Matthew Lokan said it was “one of the best wins he’s been a part of in his playing/coaching career”.
The Magpies had just nine AFL-listed players and lost Dylan Williams to injury early in the third and had Boyd Woodcock out of the game for the fourth to travel to Melbourne today.
Speaking post-match, Lokan had nothing but praise for his side as it came back from 16 points down midway through the third quarter.
“We had 14 guys that played under 10 league games today and to be able to come out and produce what we produced for pretty much four quarters,” he said.
“North obviously come back in the third quarter, but I thought our guys were great the whole game.
“I'm very, very proud of the effort that they gave us and the fact that they were able to get some reward for effort.
“We were up against it and I can't speak more highly of the group that plays here in our SANFL side, whether they're the contracted guys or the listed guys, they come with a fantastic attitude.”
With rotations down, Lokan moved some magnets around which proved to be vital.
“There's a couple of guys that probably didn't have their best game up to three-quarter-time and turned it on the last quarter and were really important for us,” he said.
“Simon Wong had three goals and 10 disposals in the last quarter, Taj Schofield I didn't think had his greatest game, but kicked two goals in an important situation.
“The game was probably almost slipping away for us there, if not the third early in the last.
“We made a couple changes at three-quarter-time and in hindsight was where we got the result or after.
“We knew we could compete, even young Miller Carter in his first game went to the backline in the last quarter and stood up in a couple of good contests.
“That's a fantastic team effort and one that every club should be really proud of.”
The tandem of Jarrod Lienert and Tyson Goldsack was admirable as the Magpies’ defence was pushed by the Roosters, while Marty Frederick proved vital in crucial moments in the last quarter.
“'Lieno has been really good for us all year,” Lokan said.
“I think he's our only guy that's played over 50 SANFL games and obviously 'Goldy' has got plenty of experience as well.
“We do forget that 'Goldy' has only played two games for the year as well.
“I thought his [Frederick] run and carry played a really important role for us on the wing today and he's really important for us in crucial situations at the back end of the game.
“A credit to Martin, he's got his opportunity to play AFL football, it's a fantastic story.
“And he's obviously disappointed to get dropped from the AFL side, but to come back and play the way he did was a credit to the young man he is.”
Port Adelaide next takes on West Adelaide at Alberton Oval.
