Australian Football

Match Report

Just over five and a half thousand fans turned up to see the very first AFL game played for premiership points in Alice Springs, and they were treated to a highly entertaining match that hung in the balance until late in the last quarter, with top side Port Adelaide staving off a determined and rapidly-improving Melbourne team to record a 20-point win.

The match opened up with the Power kicking the first four goals of the match - one each to Robbie Gray, Jay Schulz, Matt White and Jake Neade - to open up a 25-point lead after just 11 minutes and the game looked to be heading rapidly into "blow-out" territory. But Melbourne to its credit knuckled down defensively, allowing Port only one further goal for the term, while kicking two of its own to limit the margin to just 20 points at the first break.

Melbourne then had its best quarter of the match in the second term, kicking five goals to three, and at the long break only a goal separated the two sides. The Demons then kicked the first two goals of the third term via Cam Pedersen and Dom Tyson to take a five-point lead and an upset win appeared to be in the offing. James Frawley added another at the 17-minute mark and Melbourne led by 10 points and appeared to have all the momentum. But the Power regrouped and goals to Brad Ebert and Gray allowed them to regain a four-point advantage at the last change of ends.

With Port renowned as a fast-finishing side, the Demons needed to start the final term strongly and they did just that but could not convert on the scoreboard, with Jimmy Toumpas, James Frawley, Jack Viney and Christian Salem all missing chances to give Melbourne the lead. Salem finally did so with a goal at the 13-minute mark but Justin Westhoff then displayed leadership qualities for Port, kicking two goals just before the last term entered time-on. This gave the Power a seven-point lead and they played with the greater poise in the game's last 10 minutes, goals to Jared Polec and Oliver Wines allowing them to eke out a 20-point victory.

Kane Cornes (30 disposals and six marks) and Westhoff (nine makes, 20 possessions) played pivotal roles in the win, while Dom Tyson (30 possessions, nine marks) and the Jones boys, Matt (24 touches) and Nathan (30 disposals) were valiant all day for Melbourne.

Melbourne, in 15th place on the ladder with three wins, will face Collingwood next up in the traditional Queen's Birthday clash, while Port Adelaide will look to maintain its two-game break at the top of the ladder with a win over the struggling Saints at the Adelaide Oval next Saturday.

GOALS
Melbourne: Frawley, Bail, Pedersen, Tyson, Salem 2; Gawn
Port Adelaide: Schulz, Gray, Westhoff 2; White, Neade, Mitchell, Young, Boak, Ebert, Polec, Wines

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Melbourne: Tyson, M.Jones, N.Jones, Vince, Howe, Dunn, McDonald
Port Adelaide: Gray, Broadbent, Boak, Impey, Cornes, Westhoff

BEST - THE AGE
Melbourne: Tyson, N Jones, M Jones, Howe, Dunn
Port Adelaide: Boak, Gray, Westhoff, Broadbent, Cornes

COACHES' COMMENTS
Paul Roos (Melb): Port are on top for a reason. Games go for 120 minutes. We probably just needed to take our chances at the start of the last quarter. You miss two to three shots and you don't put that scoreboard pressure on. Clearly they [Port] were going to play out the whole game because that's what they've been really good at.

Ken Hinkley (Port): We know we have to play better than that but we certainly acknowledge the improvement of the Melbourne Footy Club. I reckon that's one thing we know after today. They've been quietly sneaking along without too much being made [of it] but their performances have been really solid.

INJURIES
Melbourne: Nil
Port Adelaide: Wingard (concussion)

SUBSTITUTES
Melbourne: Jimmy Toumpas replaced Max Gawn in the third quarter
Port Adelaide: Andrew Moore replaced Chad Wingard in the third quarter

UMPIRES: Dalgleish, Schmitt, Foot

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Anthony Hudson, Dermott Brereton, Tony Shaw, Barry Hall