Australian Football

Match Report

Port Adelaide has established a stranglehold on a place in the top eight with a great win over Collingwood in a high-intensity match at Football Park on Saturday.

In a match that had a finals-like feel to it, the Power withstood everything the Magpies could throw at the throughout the match, winning all four quarters and breaking Collingwood's strong resistance in the last quarter to win by 35 points.

The match was an emotional affair, with players from both teams entering the ground together through a single banner in honour of John McCarthy, who died in a fall in Las Vegas last October. McCarthy played 18 games for Collingwood over four seasons and 21 for Port Adelaide last year before his tragic accident.

Collingwood started the better of the two sides, and goals to Travis Cloke and captain Nick Maxwell saw the Magpies leading by 13 points at the 10-minute mark, but the Power then gradually worked their way into the match, and led by nine points at the first break. They increased that lead to 16 points at half-time, and to 18 points at three-quarter time, before turning up the heat in the last term, kicking 5.2 to Collingwood's 2.3.

In an outstanding display, Brad Ebert had 30 touches and kicked a goal, while Matthew Broadbent (34 possessions) and skipper Travis Boak (29 disposals and a goal) were also very good for Port. Collingwood's best were Paul Seedsman (34 possessions), Scott Pendlebury (28 disposals) and veteran ruckman Ben Hudson (24 hitouts and 17 disposals).

Despite the loss, the eighth-placed Magpies have a two-game buffer over Carlton, who are ninth. The Magpies and Blues will meet at the MCG this Friday night. Port Adelaide are also two games clear inside the eight but face a tough fortnight with matches against Essendon at Docklands and top-placed Hawthorn at home to come.

GOALS
Port Adelaide: Westhoff, Schulz 3; Monfries, Wingard 2; Brad Ebert, Wines, Boak
Collingwood: Cloke, Dwyer 2; Maxwell, Elliott, Kennedy

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Port Adelaide: Ebert, Broadbent, Westhoff, Wingard, Boak, Schulz
Collingwood: Seedsman, Pendlebury, Ball, Dwyer, Hudson

BEST - THE AGE
Port Adelaide: Brad Ebert, Broadbent, Cornes, Hartlett, Boak, Moore
Collingwood: Seedsman, Maxwell, Pendlebury, Hudson, Russell, Ball.

INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Cassisi (hamstring); Logan (Calf); Boak (Ankle)
Collingwood: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Port Adelaide: Ollie Wines replaced Dom Cassisi (hamstring) in the second quarter
Collingwood: Ben Kennedy replaced Kyle Martin in the third quarter

UMPIRES: Donlon, Bannister, Stevic