Port Adelaide Power have given their finals credentials a major boost with a ten-point win over the Melbourne Demons on Friday night at Adelaide Oval.
After a slow start from both sides, the Power used their classy midfield to get their run on in the second half to save the game in the
Newly re-signed Ollie Wines had 29 disposals (18 contested), and Sam Powell-Pepper (a league season-high 17 tackles) led the way while Robbie Gray, Justin Westhoff and Jared Polec were also solid contributors for the night.
The back half were resilient thanks to the consistent work from Tom Jonas and Jasper Pittard. They won the tackle count 99-88 in a show of desperation from the side.
For the Demons, who dominated the inside 50s all night, they’ll be left thinking ‘what if’ after endless opportunities went begging. They recorded 68 entries to the Power’s 39 but failed to capitalise on the effort from the Demons midfield. The Dees also won the clearance count 54-38
Jack Viney battled hard with 31 disposals and 14 clearances, alongside Clayton Oliver, Angus Brayshaw and Nathan Jones (all 28 disposals each). Jesse Hogan went goalless in a quiet night by his, and most key-forward’s standards.
It was a low scoring-affair in the first quarter with the first goal not coming until the there were six minutes left in the first quarter. The Demons looked dangerous and got out to a 20-point lead in the early stages of the third term but couldn’t hold on as the Power surged to be within striking distance at the final change.
Tom McDonald, Tim Smith, and Neville Jetta (concussion) had injury concerns for the Dees, as did Tom Rockliff, Chad Wingard, Brad Ebert, Marshall (shoulder) and Riley Bonner (wrist) for the Power.
Port Adelaide will be relieved with the win and have now won six of their past seven matches. While they remain in fourth on the ladder before the round is out, they may fall behind by a position pending Collingwood’s match with Carlton. Port will look to their own match against the Blues next week.
For the Dees, they fall back into the pack of the top-eight sides and will now need to work out what went wrong in both weeks around the bye thanks to a loss on Queen’s Birthday. The Dees take on St Kilda next weekend and will be desperate for a win to break the negative cycle of the past fortnight.
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