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.
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Final score
West Coast Eagles 13.10.88
Port Adelaide Power 18.12.120
The Port Adelaide Power will take on arguably the toughest road trip in the competition when they meet the West Coast Eagles at Domain Stadium this afternoon. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match from 4:40pm (AEST).
Port will have to bounce back from a surprise 13-point loss to Richmond if they are to topple West Coast at a venue at which they have a 48 per cent win record.
Keep an eye on Port’s performance in front of goal, as it was that which handed the Power their sixth loss of the season last Saturday.
Ken Hinkley’s men held the upper hand in contested possessions (166-138), hit-outs (52-29) clearances (42-36) and inside 50s (68-52), but kicked 8.15 on a wasteful night off the boot.
Every win is crucial for the sixth-placed Port as they look to stand firm through a mid-table logjam to secure their first finals berth since 2014.
They are one of four sides sitting on 32 points, just one win outside the top four and a solitary win ahead of tenth.
One of the sides sitting one win behind Port is the ninth-placed West Coast, a side that has won just two of their last five fixtures in a patchy run of recent form.
The Eagles staved off the Dogs in a seven-point win last Saturday, although they were pipped in a three-point loss to the Dees when they last played at Domain Stadium.
They salvaged a win over the Dogs despite the absences of captain Shannon Hurn, Brownlow Medallist Matt Priddis and Coleman Medal fancy Josh Kennedy, in a game in which their midfield came to the fore.
Led by ball magnet Andrew Gaff (42 disposals), Adam Simpson’s men won the clearances 45-29 and the stoppages 31-22.
Prediction
West Coast are set to miss Kennedy for the sixth consecutive week, but expect them to again stand tall without their star full-forward.
A return to the Domain Stadium furnace will present West Coast with a golden opportunity to notch their ninth victory of the season as they look to claw back into the top eight.
West Coast by 17.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match from 4:40pm AEST.
Jolly Roger
Guest
ok, so apart from having egg all over my face re tipping, Eagles are officially no longer flat track bullies coz they get beaten at home as well! neither are Port any more..so the question is-who are the flat track bullies now? No, i dont want to know nor do i care. Port were clearly the better team, faster, cleaner ruthless. in hindsight Eagles were lucky to win the last game with Port plus they had JK. He might have made the difference today (with less talls). He might also bring balance back to the team. but it seems mistakes were made at selection..and Eagles were out-coached? we might dig ourselves out of this hole with the next few games ahead...hmmm
Mattician6x6
Guest
No worries cat its all part of the dance.
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
FULL-TIME: WEST COAST EAGLES 13.10 (88) D BY PORT ADELAIDE POWER 18.12 (120) Thanks for joining me tonight, Roarers. What a ripper of a game! Port too slick in the final term. Ends ...
Cat
Roar Guru
Guess my tips wasn't off the mark after all.
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
Q4 20 | GOAL, PORT, PADDY RYDER West Coast 13.10 (88) Port 18.11 (119)
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
Q4 19 | GOAL, PORT, JACKSON TRENGOVE Trengove makes no mistake from a set shot as Port put the game to bed. West Coast 13.10 (88) Port 17.11 (113)
Mattician6x6
Guest
Win some lose some, managed 2 solid wins without Kennedy so not all bad, match committee do need to realise if you pick a slow team against a team with true leg speed chances are they are they are going to get overlap run fairly easily.
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
Can West Coast claw back?
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
Q4 18 | GOAL, WEST COAST, JAMIE CRIPPS West Coast with a glimmer of hope! West Coast 13.10 (88) Port 16.11 (107)
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
Q4 16 | GOAL, PORT, CHARLIE DIXON THAT'S A BAG! Dixon boots his fifth of the day as Port make the equation a touch more tough for West Coast. West Coast 12.8 (80) Port 16.11 (107)
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
Q4 15 | BEHIND, PORT West Coast 12.10 (82) Port 15.11 (101)
Cat
Roar Guru
West coast imploding under pressure. Dumb 50 to give away
Mattician6x6
Guest
The Petrie bump, glad your not on mrp decisions would be worse than already are.
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
Q4 12 | BEHIND, PORT We go upstairs as the umps confirm the on-ground call! West Coast 12.10 (82) Port 15.8 (99)
Joel Erickson
Roar Guru
Only a handful of guys in the AFL who can take over a game at a moment's notice. Robbie Gray is firmly entrenched in that list.
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
Q4 12 | BEHIND, WEST COAST West Coast 12.9 (81) Port 15.8 (98)
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
Q4 11 | GOAL, PORT, ROBBIE GRAY Port pile on the pressure as Gray slots deadeye goal off a set shot just inside 50m. Pure class. The difference between the Power's performance in front of goal from last week to this week is astounding. West Coast 12.8 (80) Port 15.8 (98)
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
Will definitely be a big talking point if West Coast manage to win.
Zachary Gates
Roar Guru
Q4 9 | GOAL, WEST COAST, NATHAN VARDY West Coast are handed back-to-back 50-metre penalties before Vardy gets one back for the hosts! This game sits on a knife's edge. West Coast 12.8 (80) Port 14.8 (92)
Cat
Roar Guru
Nice dive. Soft as.