Australian Football

Match Report

With AFL football moving permanently to the Adelaide Oval from 2014, the 35th and final Showdown played at Football Park was arguably the greatest of them all. The match had everything, with one side and then the other gaining the ascendency, and little twists and turns appearing throughout the contest.

When the final siren sounded, it was Port Adelaide who were in front by just four points, the narrowest margin ever recorded between the two teams. Only 10 minutes earlier, the Crows had led by as much as 20 points but the Power somehow conjured the last four goals to snatch a remarkable win, which saw it retain a place in the top eight.

Earlier, the Crows made the better start of the two sides, kicking three goals to two to open up a seven-point quarter-time break. But the second term saw Port Adelaide take complete control, kicking seven goals to two and opening up a 21-point at the long break. At that stage the Crows appeared a beaten side.

But Adelaide returned to the field with renewed fire in the third term, and Jared Petrenko set the Crows alight with a goal in the first minute. The Crows went on to kick seven goals to two for the quarter, just as the Power had done in the second term.

Trailing by 12 points at the last change, Chad Wingard got the Power off to the best possible start in the last quarter with a long bomb from 50. Teammate Sam Colquhoun reduced the margin to just one-point at the 10-minute mark with a snap goal and it appeared that Port Adelaide had the momentum that would take it to victory.

Adelaide, however, had other ideas. The Crows kicked the next three goals via Lewis Johnston, Patrick Dangerfield and Ricky Henderson to open up a 20-point lead at the 21-minute mark. But Port Adelaide came once more. Robbie Gray benefited from a beautiful ruck tap from Matthew Lobbe, kicking a goal that brought the margin back to 14 points at the 22-minute mark. Three minutes later Wingard, who had been magnificent for the Power all day, marked and goaled deom 40 metres out and the Crows lead was only eight points.

Both sides fought desperately until, with 1:28 left on the clock, the Power's Angus Monfries had a flying shot that appeared to be going well wide of the goals. But the ball broke almost at right angles and somehow found its way through the goal and the margin was back to just four points.

In the final minute a snap from the boundary line deep in Port's forward line was marked by Power hero Wingard. He calmly slotted his fifth goal, and the siren sounded soon after, giving Port Adelaide an almost unbelievable victory.

Apart from Wingard (24 possessions, five goals), who was clearly best afield, the Power's best included Hamish Hartlett (three goals and 25 touches) and Robbie Gray (three goals and 19 disposals). For Adelaide, Brad Crouch (28 disposals) was magnificent, while Dangerfield (four goals) and David Mackay (20 possessions) were also fine contributors.

The win sees Port Adelaide move eight points clear of ninth-placed Carlton on the ladder. The Power have matches against Geelong, Gold Coast, Fremantle and Carlton in their final home-and-away month.

GOALS
Adelaide: Dangerfield, Johnston 4; Wright, Petrenko 2; Grigg, Brown, Henderson
Port Adelaide: Wingard 5; Hartlett, Gray 3; Schulz, Monfries 2; Butcher, Colquhoun

BEST - THE AGE
Adelaide: Crouch, Mackay, Dangerfield, Vince, Wright, Johnston
Port Adelaide: Wingard, Hartlett, Cornes, Gray, Boak, Brad Ebert

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Adelaide: Crouch, Dangerfield, Johnston, Mackay, Grigg, Vince
Port Adelaide: Wingard, Hartlett, Gray, Boak, Cornes, Schulz

INJURIES
Adelaide: Nil
Port Adelaide: Paul Stewart (broken wrist)

SUBSTITUTES
Adelaide: Mitch Grigg replaced Jarryd Lyons in the third quarter.
Port Adelaide: Sam Colquhoun replaced Paul Stewart (wrist) in the first quarter.

UMPIRES: Stewart, Ryan, Jeffery

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Bruce McAvaney, Dennis Cometti, Tim Watson, Cameron Ling, Leigh Montagna