Port Adelaide have refused to let inaccuracy damper a well deserved, and very important, 31-point win over Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.
The first quarter was all Collingwood’s – for around three, maybe four, minutes. The hosts seemingly started brightly, but never looked close to scoring.
And then Port did just that. Well, they did just that, rather inaccurately. It took until the 15-minute mark of the quarter for Collingwood to register their first (and only) score of the quarter – a goal to Alex Fasolo.
Port, though, finished the first quarter with four goals – and three behinds – on the board. Was a 21 point lead at the ‘G a dominant position? Maybe, but probably not.
The second quarter? Entertaining. Collingwood managed – thanks to goals to Jordan De Goey, Alex Fasolo (at one point, he’d singlehandedly contributed every one of Collingwood’s scores) and a debut goal to Callum Brown – in addition to a massive performance from Pendlebury meant Collingwood’s hopes were well and truly alive come half time.
Port’s second quarter was probably equally as good as their opponents – with one man, Robbie Gray, playing a sensational game.
At the main break, the Power stalwart had 4 goals and 11 disposals, and was probably the best player on the ground.
Throughout the first half, it always seemed that Port were going to eventually break the game open. In the third quarter, they did.
While Ben Crocker opened the scoring with a vital goal for Collingwood, it was Port’s quarter from there on out.
Five consecutive goals – and a few behinds – meant they got out to a 40-odd points lead for parts of the quarter.
A very timely Darcy Moore goal gave the Pies’ a faint heart beat approaching half time, but a trio of incredibly disappointing misses from Fasolo, James Aish and Jeremy Howe meant Collingwood were unable to take any form of momentum into the final quarter.
Collingwood’s hopes rapidly rose when Moore claimed a brilliant – if contentious – goal in the first few seconds of the final term, but, despite a ‘hit the post’ from Paddy Ryder gifting Collingwood a chance to work back into the game, they were unable to.
Goals to Charlie Dixon and Sam Gray put the icing on the cake – or so we thought, as Ben Reid and Moore pegged the margin back one final time for the Pies.
It was too little, too late for the hosts, unfortunately, as Jarman Impey and Ollie Wines finished up the game with a pair of behinds before the final siren.
Port Adelaide were brilliantly served by Robbie Gray (five goals, 20 disposals and 5 marks), Hamish Hartlett (23 touches) and Ollie Wines (22 disposals and 1 goal).
Travis Boak and Matty White (21 touches each) and Sam Powell-Pepper (20 touches) were also prolific. 200th gamer Paddy Ryder narrowly won his battle with Brodie Grundy (29 hit-outs to 27).
Collingwood were admirably served by good performances their midfield, with Adam Treloar (35 touches), Steele Sidebottom (36) and Scott Pendlebury (32) all prolific.
In fact, souring the loss for the Pies is the fact that they comfortably won the disposal count 441 to Port’s 363.
Fasolo has two goals, Moore had three, and Crocker, Brown, De Goey and Reid all added one major each.
Port Adelaide host Richmond in a Saturday night game at Adelaide Oval next weekend, while Collingwood – despite this afternoon’s loss – are up against Hawthorn at the ‘G in a winnable, yet all of a sudden dangerous game next Sunday afternoon.
Final score
Collingwood Magpies 9.8.62
Port Adelaide Power 13.15.93
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It is time that the tribunal became more simplistic, closed defence loopholes, and became representative of the game that it is trying to serve.
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