Australian Football

Match Report

The last of the Saturday matches would find us heading up Port Road as far as Woodville, the Magpies taking on the Bulldogs under the lights of the Maughan Thiem Kia Oval. Back in Round 10 at Elizabeth, the Magpies managed to prevail against a pesky Bulldogs outfit by 17 points. After a goal-less third term, the Magpies were leading by just one straight kick. But with better aerial ability, they got away from the Doggies in the last quarter, kicking three goals to one for one of their three victories up to this point. Last weekend, the Magpies were made to look quite average as the Bloods brought their own winless run to an end at Richmond, while the Bulldogs were unlucky in the final stanza against Sturt at home and went down by four points. Going on that result against Westies and the Dogs' challenge to the Blues would have seen the visitors in as favourites. With a side stacked with AFL talent, the Magpies took a while to settle and to begin with, both sides scored a paltry 1.3 each to tie the scores at quarter-time. The 'Pies started to gel in the second term, even getting out to as much as 19 points up late in the second quarter. That lead was reduced back to just two kicks going into the long break, Port scoring altogether 4.2 to the Bulldogs' 2.2 to lead by 12 points come half-time. The Dogs came into this clash as they did in a game at Noarlunga this year, without their senior coach Paul Thomas who was again obeying quarantine protocols. Port's group of talls were making life hard for them as well, their rucks dominating the centre hitouts. The third quarter was almost a repeat of the opening term, both sides only finding the big sticks once each. The Dogs fluffed two prime chances to bring the gap down to at the very least one straight shot, the Magpies scoring one behind themselves as the margin was down to 11 points at three quarter-time. Port saved their best for last, booting five goals to one to take their lead to a six-kick gap deep into added time to put their advantage beyond the Bulldogs' reach. A pair of late goals to the Dogs made the final margin 23 points, however the Dogs stay in eighth above Port on percentage. Sam Mayes was named Port's best afield, with 29 disposals, eight clearances and six tackles. Centrals named Jarrod Schiller as their best on ground with 19 disposals, 10 tackles and six clearances.