Port Adelaide slumped to their second loss of the AFL season at the hands of an inspired St Kilda side to the tune of 29 points at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.
A five-goal-to-none last quarter meant the Saints ran out easy winners. It was Port’s first game back at the Adelaide Oval since Round 2 when they tackled the Crows and after Saturday night, they might be thinking they are better served playing away in a hub.
It was a tight and tense affair for three quarters with both sides showing that they could easily take a strangle hold on the match but neither did, until the last quarter.
Justin Westhoff earned a reprieve with defender Trent McKenzie being a late out for the hosts and did not do himself any favours on Saturday night in particular with his miskick, which found Dan Butler, who scored a goal in the last quarter to set the Saints on their way. But Westhoff was not alone with half a dozen players who simply failed to show up and put their spot in the side in jeopardy.
So where do I start with Port Adelaide’s performance? At the selection table.
(Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)
Coming up against two quality rucks in ex-Power big man Paddy Ryder and youngster Rowan Marshall, Ken Hinkley went in with only one recognised ruck in young Peter Ladhams, who has shown signs of promised but it was always going to be a tough task for the young ruck.
Do not forget Ladhams has only played seven AFL games so to put him against a good tandem by himself seemed odd to me. While he was better around the ground, picking up 20 disposals, it was in the centre where the Saints smashed Port.
Port were beaten in nearly every stat on Saturday night. St Kilda had five more inside 50s, led the hit outs 40 to 16, won the clearance battle 42 to 30 and more importantly the stoppage clearances 30 to 20 to give the midfield first use of the ball and they capitalised. The Saints also won the contested possession count by 11 just for good measure.
Trying to find Port players who can hold their heads up high is a hard task. Darcy Byrne-Jones once again was solid across half back with 21 touches and 365 metres gained along with eight intercept possessions.
Peter Ladhams had 20 disposals but was found wanting in the ruck battle as Ryder and Marshall controlled the game from the middle and Dan Houston gathered 18 disposals to be the Power’s third highest ball winner for the night. So if they were Port’s best, then that leaves a lot to be desired for a team on top of the ladder.
A somewhat concerning trend for me is the form of Robbie Gray and Conor Rozee. Both were yet again quiet on Saturday night with Gray only managing seven touches and a goal while Rozee gathered 12.
Gray was not helped with the delivery inside 50 on Saturday night but a player of his calibre probably should be doing more.
Rozee is the definition of a sophomore slump, but to pick on those two would be unfair as there were a number of passengers on Saturday night so the list could easily go on.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Now to the umpiring. I am not one for blaming umpires for a loss. I am a big believer that good sides overcome bad decisions and to use that as an excuse is an easy way out.
While there were some questionable decisions on Saturday night, Port had their chances to win the game, particularly in the third quarter when they bossed the game but could not convert on the scoreboard. The Saints won the free kick count 21-15 but I am not having that as a reason why the game was lost.
Port have played two bad quarters for the year: the second against the Lions and the last quarter on Saturday night, both of which were the reasons they lost those games and both times they conceded five goals to virtually nothing.
While many Power fans are angry, I am more bullish about the side’s chances this year as they have only lost two games. I will hold off for a little while longer, although knowing Port like I do, I feel it is coming like a freight train.
The Power sit at 6-2 for the season and play Melbourne next week, which will not be an easy task as the Dees are just starting to hit form. But Port will need ruckman Scott Lycett back to face Max Gawn because if young Peter Ladhams has to go it alone again against one of the best in the competition, Port could be in for another long day.
Surely Hinkley will not make that same mistake again, will he?
There will be changes to the side for next week’s clash. In reality there could be seven or eight if Hinkley really wanted to make a statement. But with the condensed fixtures coming thick and fast it might just be a good thing that Port have to shuffle the pack and force Hinkley to make changes.
I am not out on Port after on Saturday night, as I feel they have enough points in the bank to warrant the benefit of the doubt. We will see how far this group has come next week when they face Melbourne as this is the time of year the wheels generally tend to fall off.
Will it be different this time? Time will tell.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
The thought had crossed my mind, maybe just one game, then drop him for two, bring him back for one. Keep him on his toes, dangle a contract in front of him, carrot and stick style.
Slick
Roar Rookie
Jack Watts back at CHF perhaps? :silly:
Vercetti1986'
Roar Rookie
Yeah Chad Cornes was ropeable over that free kick paid against the Port player near the boundary line lol. Passionate bunch over there in Adelaide but the umpiring does need some revamping. Can't have players second guessing themselves all the time. Ken shouldn't have been having a go at the umpires despite some of the decisions being dubious. Port just didn't take their chances when they had momentum and that's why they lost. The Saints had the most accurate performance in front of the big sticks in the history of the AFL so they were really up against it that night and I thought it was a quality contest between two up and coming sides.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
That kick and that goal just sucked all the spirit out of Port and St Kilda were just playing so well. We all knew the game was over after those two incidents, you could see it in the Port players, I felt it in my lounge room and I reckon you Saints fans knew it as well. The footy gods were smiling on the away team and everyone could see it
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
We had Marshall but he's just gone down for six weeks, we had Dougal Howard and Ryder but they've both been traded, so in short, no-one. Gonna have to be a small ball game
Vercetti1986'
Roar Rookie
I rewatched the last quarter of the game last night and it seemed when Westhoff shanked that kick after outmarking King, that is when the momentum of the game radically shiftedAll the Port players lost confidence and the Saints overran them. . I would be surprised if he didn't get dropped this week but if Lycett isn't playing, you might need some more height to limit his influence around the ground. I also think Powell-Pepper also needs to learn how to kick easy shots at goal. He seems to have trouble with his set shots. He missed a pretty easy shot at goal when the Saints were 7 points up. Anyway the Power are a quality side and they should be able to bounce back this week.
The Brazilian
Roar Rookie
So it's all on Big Charlie again. Love the big fella but not sure he can carry your whole forward line on his own. Playing the Hoff as a key forward is fraught with danger if it doesn't come off. Who else ya' got?
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
We had one lol, he's at the Saints now
Slick
Roar Rookie
Remember when we had Westhoff and Trengove rucking for us full time? Didn't look good. We need a serious back up ruckman.
Maxy
Roar Rookie
yep massive loss
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
FFS, huge loss.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
I'd be happy with that. I want to see Robbie either at the feet of Charlie playing as a small forward or in the midfield, Half forward's not his go. I just think we need to get him in the game, he's having a shocking run at the moment. I say Hayes purely because of the North game last year and this game, Ladhams has been found out, at least with someone else we just try and rove the oppo's taps, maybe just move the Hoff in there full time and see how he goes?
Maxy
Roar Rookie
oh dear,just read marshall out for 6 weeks
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
Not sure we can afford to muck around with our team to much though, it's a hard one, play your best or rotate.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
Yeah it's a shocking look, and it achieves nothing. I think the emotion gets the better of them and they say stupid stuff.
Slick
Roar Rookie
"I’d play Hayes before him now" As much as I am disappointed in Ladhams right now, you've got to remember the selectors aren't idiots (despite popular belief). I remember reading what the club was saying about Hayes last year, saying that he wasn't being selected because he was no where near AFL standard (they were basically calling him rubbish). We are unfortunately going to need to deal with Ladhams until Lycett is fit and then it's a straight swap. I personally think that Gray shouldn't be put in the midfield. Keep him up front. We have plenty of quality young players to plug into the midfield that do the same job we would want from Gray, that couldn't do the same as Gray in the forward line (despite him being quiet on the weekend). However I do agree with your opinion on Rozee. I think he should either have a break for a week or be put into the midfield, or even Butters for that matter. Butters has got to be my favourite player this year. I personally can't rate Bonner low enough. I do not know why he has constantly got a spot on the starting 22. McKenzie is such an easy inclusion over Bonner. His kicking has been well below average and his situational awareness has evidently been horrible. Constantly caught out with the ball and has very little meaningful usage of it if he's not brought to ground. Provided injury doesn't hold people back I think selection should be IN: Lycett, McKenzie, Rockliff OUT: Bonner, Ladhams, Westhoff
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
The umpiring has been poor for a couple of years BUT perhaps it is best to refrain from calling them out when you lose? It seems that Kenny only ever "doesn't have a problem with umpires BUT ..." when Port loses!
Slick
Roar Rookie
At this point, every umpiring decision is decided by flipping a coin. I am not using this as an excuse for Port Adelaide losing either, there were plenty of missed calls and bad calls that went against St Kilda too. The umpires are directly contradicting their previous calls constantly. It makes it hard to enjoy the game when there is so much inconsistency.
Maxy
Roar Rookie
Think we will see plenty of changes the next 4 games Brendon .Demons , Doggies Tigers and Cats all in the space of 2 weeks basically ,short turn arounds between games .Players will need to be rested at some point,will be very challenging fortnight for all clubs
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
I think St Kilda's brilliant kicking and Ports not brilliant kicking affected Port in the last quarter.