Port Adelaide forward Charlie Dixon booted five goals as the Power shook off their pretenders tag with a 32-point victory over West Coast in Sunday’s AFL clash at Domain Stadium.
The Power booted the first four goals of the match, but found themselves trailing by 24 points during the second term as West Coast went on a seven-goal blitz.
But Dixon’s heroics up forward and a dazzling performance by Paddy Ryder in the ruck helped lift Port Adelaide to the 18.12 (120) to 13.10 (88) win.
The Power had been labelled premiership pretenders for their inability to beat sides above them on the ladder.
But they now find themselves in fourth spot on the table with a 9-6 record.
West Coast have slipped to ninth with a 8-7 record following three losses from their past four home games.
Eagles veteran Drew Petrie could be in strife for his head-high bump on Port’s Matt White.
Power rising star Sam Powell-Pepper suffered a painful shoulder injury while laying a tackle in the second term.
Although he was able to return in the third quarter after receiving treatment in the rooms, he could be set for a stint on the sidelines depending on the results of scans.
While Dixon will receive most of the plaudits for his match-winning haul, Ryder’s performance in the ruck against Scott Lycett and Nathan Vardy was arguably more crucial in the victory.
Ryder (39 hit-outs, two goals) gave his midfield a series of gold-plated taps to advantage, and the Power cashed in, with Chad Wingard lifting after half-time.
The Power won the inside-50m battle 37-14 after the main break, such was their dominance in the second half.
Port Adelaide’s blistering start to the match forced Eagles coach Adam Simpson to shift Jeremy McGovern back to defence in order to stem the bleeding.
The move seemed to pay dividends as West Coast finally got into their groove, booting seven straight goals at one point.
Fit-again Eagles forward Mark LeCras entered the match under huge pressure to perform after going goalless in his previous four games.
But he broke the drought in stunning fashion with two goals within the space of a minute.
LeCras and Jack Darling had three goals each by half-time as West Coast entered the break with an 11-point lead.
But Port Adelaide took control of the contest after halftime as Ryder’s influence became more prominent.
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.
The former Collingwood president said it 'wouldn't be beyond the pale' for the AFL to add weeks to Finlayson's three-game suspension, after the Power…
Port Adelaide forward Jeremy Finlayson says he's 'pissed off' at himself for making a homophobic slur, not the AFL for suspending him. Finlayson, banned…
Round 5 of the AFL provided plenty of action, from big scorelines to upset wins and pressure starting to build on some clubs and coaches already.
Former great David King has blasted Match Review Officer Michael Christian's decision to not suspend Port Adelaide star Zak Butters for his high bump…
The AFL Players' Association has come out swinging against the league for their decision to hand Port Adelaide forward a three-match suspension for using…
Geelong has been crafty and creative in its list management and has quietly assembled a very exciting young group of midfielders and half-forwards.
