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[Highlights] Port Adelaide thrash St Kilda

2nd August, 2015
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Port Adelaide kept their AFL finals hopes alive with a 63-point belting of a sloppy St Kilda on Sunday.

The Power remain 12th, but just six premiership points shy of the top eight, after a 17.10 (112) to 6.13 (49) victory at Adelaide Oval.

Port forward Chad Wingard booted four goals and teammates Robbie Gray (37 disposals) and Justin Westhoff (23 disposals, two goals) were instrumental in a win which came with a cost – midfielder Ollie Wines dislocated a shoulder.

Wines was hurt in the first term of a match preceded by a ceremony in support of Sydney star Adam Goodes.

Indigenous greats Nicky Winmar, Gavin Wanganeen and Byron Pickett greeted both captains before play, and then Port’s players made St Kilda pay for their waste.

Midway through the second quarter, the Saints had 1.9, including five rushed behinds.

And at halftime they trailed by 25 points despite entering their attacking 50m arc five more times than the Power.

St Kilda’s skill errors were pounced on by Port, who kicked the initial three goals of the third term to stretch out to a defining 44-point lead and then coasted to victory.

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With Gray, captain Travis Boak (29 disposals) and backmen Hamish Hartlett (27 possessions) and Matthew Broadbent prominent, the Power banked an eighth win of the season before a 36,850-strong home crowd.

Port’s defenders, led by Jack Hombsch who kept Josh Bruce goal-less until he scored after the final siren, applied a strangle on St Kilda’s attackers, with midfielder Leigh Montagna (two goals) the visitor’s sole multiple goalscorer.

The Saints, who were well served by Montagna, David Armitage (22 possessions) and Jarryn Geary (23 disposals), also lost ruckman Billy Longer, who was substituted because of a suspected knee injury.

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