Power should be too good for Eagles

Port Adelaide’s poor form away from home continued when they went down to Melbourne by 11 points at the MCG last Sunday. The Power have won just one of their eight matches on the road and find themselves outside the top eight with a 7-8 win-loss record. West Coast matched ladder leaders St Kilda for three quarters before the Saints eventually prevailed by 20 points.

The Eagles have lost seven of their past nine matches and hold a 4-11 record.

MEDICAL ROOM: Port welcome back Travis Boak from a knee strain but will be without Tom Logan (illness). Hamish Hartlett (hamstring) is at least two weeks away from remaining while star midfielder Shaun Burgoyne remains on the sidelines with a knee injury. For the Eagles, star duo Dean Cox and Daniel Kerr will miss with groin related problems while Mark Nicoski is out with a back injury. Brett Jones (hamstring) will miss at least another week while Adam Hunter (shoulder), Jamie McNamara (corked thigh), Luke Shuey (fibula) and Brent Staker (hand fracture) remain unavailable. Rugged utility Beau Waters is out for the season with a dislocated elbow.

KEY MATCH-UPS: Adam Selwood vs. Danyle Pearce

Pearce came in for some criticism after his performance against Melbourne with former Hawk and now Triple M commentator Shane Crawford saying Pearce ‘hoisted the white flag’ against the Demons while former Power player Josh Francou thinks the hot-and-cold midfielder should be traded.

The 2006 NAB Rising Star winner will be keen to bounce back with a big game against the Eagles and will need to be contained because when he is consistently breaking the lines and pumping the football inside 50 the Power invariably goes on to win.

Selwood is West Coast’s number one stopper in the middle and looms as the obvious candidate to run with the hot-and-cold 23-year-old.

Pearce is dangerous in space but is not effective when he is closely tagged so expect Selwood to apply relentless pressure all day.

The Power will need Pearce to lift his intensity otherwise he will struggle to break Selwood’s tag.

Kane Cornes vs. Matt Priddis

Priddis has been West Coast’s most prolific midfielder so far this season, averaging 26 disposals per game.

The 24-year-old does his best work in close – he leads the Eagles for first possessions and clearances.

With Cox and Kerr out of the side the Eagles will need Priddis to be switched on at the stoppages and win his fair share of the football otherwise they will be smashed in the middle.

However, he faces a tough afternoon at the office as he will be matched up by one of the best taggers in the competition in Cornes.

Not only will Cornes make Priddis earn every possession he will also try and hurt him going the other way – the Port midfielder collected 35 touches and booted two goals against Melbourne.

Darren Glass vs. Warren Tredrea

Tredrea was well below his best in the loss to the Demons, managing just seven possessions and one goal.

The former Port skipper will be primed for a big game to help keep his side in touch with the top eight.

Tredrea spends the majority of his time close to goal so you would expect Glass to line-up on him in what shapes as being a pivotal duel in determining the outcome of this match.

In last weekend’s loss to Melbourne the Power was smashed at the stoppages and had 14 fewer entries inside 50 in the first half.

Tredrea will need his midfield to be switched on from the outset and have them move the football quickly into the forward line otherwise he will struggle to have an impact against Glass who is one of the best one-on-one defenders in the AFL.

Jacob Surjan vs. Mark LeCras

LeCras has been the Eagles most productive forward this season, booting 39 goals in 14 games.

The classy 22-year-old was dangerous against the Saints but wasn’t his usual accurate self in front of goal, finishing the match with a wasteful 2.3 – West Coast will need him to make the most of his chances if they are going to have any hope of recording their first win away from home in more than 18 months.

Surjan has the ability to match LeCras overhead and also at ground level and will most likely be given first crack at the Eagles goal sneak.

West Coast was able to kick a winning score against the Power in round two because they were prepared to use the corridor and kick the football long into the forward line – they will need to do the same on Sunday if LeCras is going to have any hope of having an impact on the scoreboard.

VERDICT: Port Adelaide simply must win this match if they are serious about playing finals football this season. West Coast was impressive against St Kilda last weekend but they have struggled away from home for some time now and expect their poor form on the road to continue with Brendon Lade and Dean Brogan likely to dominate Mark Seaby and youngster Nic Naitanui in the ruck and provide their midfield with first use of the football.

Power by 28 points.

Get Australia's best AFL opinion emailed daily.

Like this content? Buzz it up!

Recently popular

Free Email updates:

Our daily emails are only sent if there is content for the sport or that author. You can subscribe to multiple daily emails; or get the daily Roar email with all our content in it. We value privacy. More...