PORT ADELAIDE moved into the AFL’s top four with a thrilling 10-point win over Sydney on Saturday evening.
Both sides held the lead at different stages of the match with neither able to extend the margin beyond 16 points throughout the game.
In the end it was Port which snuck home to grab a vital four points.
Here are some key things we learned from the game.
1) Resilience pays off
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley was thrilled with the way his side fought out the game when it could easily have been overpowered by the Swans. Relatively well held by Trent McKenzie to that point, Lance Franklin made the most of McKenzie being subbed out injured, kicking three consecutive goals in the last quarter to give the visiting side all the momentum. With the Swans in the lead and appearing on track for victory, Port found a way. Sub Sam Mayes and ruckman Scott Lycett proved unlikely heroes but the pressure of the home side to continually force the ball forward and keep the Swans pegged in their defence was immense. Watch Lycett’s goal and you will notice repeated efforts by Steven Motlop to continually keep the ball inside 50 and eventually hand the ball off to Lycett for the match sealer. Motlop’s efforts were just one example of the willingness to compete until the end as Port’s players propelled themselves across the line.
2) Mayes the super sub
On Mayes, it was not the ideal preparation for the experienced and versatile midfielder. He fronted up at Prospect Oval and played half a game in the SANFL, walking off covered in mud at half time and with 13 disposals to his name. Then defender Hamish Hartlett pulled up lame with a hip complaint in the warm-up and Ken Hinkley called… “Mate, you’re in” was the queue for a shower and a quick drive to Adelaide Oval to be the medical substitute, with Martin Frederick drafted in to the starting line-up in Hartlett’s place. Waiting on the bench for three quarters, Mayes thought he might not be required but when he was after McKenzie’s injury in the final term, he stepped up to dribble home one of the most important goals of his career.
3) Boak breaks the tag
Kept to just seven disposals to half time, Travis Boak was being well marshalled by Sydney’s George Hewett. It was an obvious ploy by the Swans to have the South Australian quell Boak’s influence. But the cream always rises to the top and Boak outworked and outsmarted Hewett in the second half and wound up having a big influence on the final result. Boak got going with a classy snap early in the third term and finished the game with a team-high 29 disposals along with 15 contested possessions, eight tackles, six clearances, and five score involvements. He was also involved in the play which led to Sam Mayes’ match-winning goal late in the contest. Boak’s efforts saw him voted the Fans MG MVP for Round 15.
4) Debutant delivers
Dylan Williams became the 197th player to represent Port Adelaide in the AFL when he pulled on the number 23 guernsey and ran out at Adelaide Oval on Saturday afternoon. After six goals in the SANFL the week earlier and eleven over the last month, it was just reward for hard work. His introduction to the big league showed how far he would need to come to get to the level. Standing next to All-Australian Dane Rampe is a tough task but Williams persisted, finding ways to contribute even without hitting the scoreboard. His clever kick over his head to keep the ball in play early led to a long goal to Kane Farrell, a second quarter tackle deep inside forward 50 resulted in a goal to Dan Houston, and his kick inside 50 late saw Sam Mayes deliver the goal that put Port back in front. Coach Ken Hinkley said Williams was known more for his footy IQ than his fitness, and that he had to keep working to get his moment – thankfully it came late with his contribution to the winning goal.
