Australian Football

Match Report

Despite a reasonably good four-quarter effort from Greater Western Sydney, Port Adelaide has recorded its sixth win for the season, defeating the Giants by 35 points in a relatively high-scoring affair at a very cold Manuka Oval in Canberra on Saturday. Though the temperature never rose above eight degrees, the standard of play was quite high throughout the match, allowing 35 goals to be scored, the highest number in 63 games thus far in 2014.

The Giants made the early running with a goal to Rhys Palmer in the second minute of the match and, although this was answered by Port spearhead Jay Schulz two minutes later, Will Hoskin-Ellitt restored the lead for GWS at the six-minute mark. Jeremy Cameron marked and goaled four minutes later to take the Giants' lead out to 12 points and it looked like the top team would be in for a 'tough day at the office'. Two goals to Angus Monfries levelled things up for Port and when Jared Polec kicked the first of his three goals for the afternoon at the 26-minute mark, he gave the Power a lead they would not relinquish for the remainder of the match.

Port Adelaide kicked five goals to two in the second term to lead by 32 points at the long break and a 10-goal thrashing looked on the cards. To their credit, however, the Giants fought out the remainder of the match, getting within 20 points of the Power in the third term, and within 23 points in the last quarter.

But Port was able to kick a steadying goal whenever it was required, and finished just shy of six goals clear of the gallant Giants when the final siren sounded. Ex-Lion Jared Polec was a stand-out for the Power, with thirty possessions and three goals, while Robby Gray (30 disposals and five marks) and Jay Schulz were also excellent. Schulz kicked six goals for the second time this season, and he remains the only player to have kicked half a dozen goals in a match in 2014.

Co-captain Callan Ward (40 disposals, 11 marks) played a fine game for GWS, as did Devon Smith (27 possessions, nine marks) and ruckman Jonathan Giles (44 hitouts, four marks and a goal).

Port will host Fremantle at the Adelaide Oval next Saturday before having a bye in round nine, while the Giants face a tough assignment at Subiaco against West Coast on Sunday before they too have a week off.

GOALS
GWS: Smith 3; Hoskin-Elliott, Palmer, Patton 2; Lamb, Cameron, Giles, Shiel, Scully, Kelly
Port Adelaide: Schulz 6; Monfries, Polec, White, Wingard 3; Gray, Impey

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
GWS: Ward, Smith, Buntine, Haynes, Hoskin-Elliott, Shiel
Port Adelaide: Polec, White, Gray, Cornes, Wines, Young

BEST - SPORTAL.COM.AU
GWS: Smith, Hampton Buntine, Haynes, Hoskin-Elliott
Port Adelaide: Polec, Schulz, White, Gray, Cornes, Wines

COACHES' COMMENTS
Leon Cameron (GWS): Obviously they're one of the fittest sides in the competition. For us to win the last quarter, I was proud of our boys to hang in there. Even in the third quarter, we got within 20 points and then the last three of four minutes they banged on two or three goals. That was disappointing, it would have been good to win the second half. But I was proud of their effort.

Ken Hinkley (Port): They were really strong. I've got some experience of the younger sides and I know what they're like. If they get a little bit of a sniff they can keep coming. They've got undeniable talent out there and they were pretty good today and made us work all the way to the end. You're always happy to come away with a win. We've still got some stuff that we've got to continue to work on and we have to get back to work pretty quick.

INJURIES
GWS: Nil
Port Adelaide: Hartlett (flu) replaced in selected side by Paul Stewart, Carlile (flu) replaced in selected side by Newton

SUBSTITUTES
GWS: Jed Lamb replaced Jono O'Rourke in the third quarter.
Port Adelaide: Jarman Impey replaced Tom Jonas at three-quarter time.

UMPIRES: Fisher, Nicholls, Ryan

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Anthony Hudson, Dermott Brereton, Brad Johnson, Leigh Colbert