Australian Football

Match Report

In a game that never reached great heights, West Coast did enough to comfortably defeat Port Adelaide and keep their chances of a top four finish alive at Football Park on Sunday. The Eagles won three of the game's four quarters, and were never seriously threatened by the Power, who were playing their second match under interim coach Garry Hocking. Port were competitive for most of the afternoon but were let down by a lack of polish. Poor kicking, particularly for goal in the first half, cost them any chance of victory. The Eagles showed some signs of returning to the form that took them to the head of the ladder earlier in the season, but appeared to lack the intensity that will be required come September. This may have been attributable to the similar lack displayed by the Power, but it is nevertheless an aspect of its game that West Coast will be keen to address in their upcoming home and away matches against Collingwood and Hawthorn.

Scott Selwood, whose brother Adam was subbed out of the game after a knock to the head late in the first quarter, was dominant for the Eagles, amassing 34 touches and a goal, while Matt Priddis continued his fine season. Evergreen Kane Cornes and Danyle Pearce were amongst Port Adelaide's best. With matches against Collingwood at home and Hawthorn (away) to come, West Coast has its destiny in its own hands. A win in both of those matches would virtually guarantee the Eagles a top four finish. Port's Travis Boak was a late withdrawal and, with speculation on his future rife, some are wondering if his time at Alberton Oval is near an end.

GOALS
Port Adelaide: Schulz 2; Brett Ebert, Wingard, Westhoff, Pearce
West Coast: Darling, Naitanui 3; Masten, Hurn 2; Kerr, McGinnity, Hill, S. Selwood


BEST
 - THE AGE
Port Adelaide: Broadbent, Cornes, Cassisi, Pearce, Brett Ebert, Westhoff
West Coast: S Selwood, Cox, Waters, Shuey, Priddis, Masten


BEST
 - HERALD SUN
Port Adelaide: Westhoff, Brett Ebert, Brad Ebert, Broadbent, Rodan, Schulz
West Coast: S Selwood, Priddis, Cox, Shuey, Natainui, Waters, Masten

COACHES' COMMENTS
Garry Hocking (Port): We've still got to be a lot more poised and have a lot more care through the middle part of the ground and also when we go inside the 50.

John Worsfold (WC): It wasn't a game of highlights... but we when we had our opportunities I thought we did really well to go forward and score.

Umpires: Leppard, Fila, Jeffery