Australian Football

Match Report

After losing a close game to Sydney in round 13, top team Port Adelaide made an emphatic return to the winners list with a 12-goal thrashing of the Western Bulldogs on Saturday at the Adelaide Oval. The Bulldogs started the game positively, leading at quarter time, and were still within two goals of Port at the long break, but a combination of injuries to key Dog players and the Power's superior strength and class saw the home side stamp its authority on the match through the third and final terms. Full forward Jay Schulz was dominant for the victors, kicking eight goals.

An even opening to the game saw the two sides trade goals, with one each to Schulz and Bulldogs Tom Liberatore, before the Dogs began a period of dominance that yielded goals Koby Stevens and Nathan Hrovat and took the visitors out to a 16-point lead. That margin could have been greater but Liam Jones, Jason Tutt, Matthew Boyd and Stevens all missed gettable behinds during that brief stanza. When the tide turned late in the quarter, Port took full advantage with goals to Schulz and Sam Gray cutting the difference to four points at the first break.

The Power gradually began to themselves in the second term, with a goal to Justin Westhoff and several behinds giving them a five-point lead. Will Minson received a free kick and converted for a goal to restore the lead for the Dogs at the 12-minute mark, but when Tom Jonas kicked a major seven minutes later he gave Port a lead that it would not relinquish for the rest of the match.

Travis Boak and Westhoff added two more goals before Tutt kicked the Bulldogs' second for the term to cut the lead to 12 points at the long break. While the half-time deficit was only a small one for the Dogs, they lost Ryan Griffen to back spasms during the break and with Jarod Grant concussed and Jordan Roughead clearly hampered by a shoulder injury, they were always going to face a huge task to stay competitive. That task proved to be too great, and Port added six goals to one to lead by 44 points at the last change and then went on with job in the last term, kicking another six to the Bulldogs' two to canter to a 72-point victory. 

Schulz had a field day and was clearly best on ground with his eight goals and 14 marks. He received good support from Westhoff (10 marks and 25 disposals) and Travis Boak (30 touches and two goals). For the Dogs, Jack Macrae (27 possessions, six marks), Shaun Higgins (27 disposals, four tackles) and Matthew Boyd (25 touches and six tackles) were valiant all day.

The win maintains a one game break over Hawthorn and Sydney at the head of the ladder for Port Adelaide, which will take Adelaide in the year's second Showdown next Sunday. The Bulldogs, 13th on the ladder with a 4-9 record, will host Melbourne at Docklands on Saturday, looking to repeat their round eight win over the Demons, which could see them move up to 12th.

GOALS
Port Adelaide: Schulz 8; Westhoff 3; Boak 2; Gray, Jonas, Cornes, Mitchell, Polec, Ebert
Western Bulldogs: Giansiracusa 2; Liberatore, Stevens, Hrovat, Minson, Tutt, Bontempelli

BEST - THE SUNDAY AGE
Port Adelaide: Schulz, Boak, Wines, Lobbe, Carlile, Cornes
Western Bulldogs: Picken, Higgins, Boyd, Minson, Wallis, Hrovat

BEST – AFL.COM.AU
Port Adelaide: Schulz, Wines, Wingard, Westhoff, Polec, Boak
Western Bulldogs: Higgins, Macrae, Picken, Hrovat, Boyd, Liberatore

INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Griffen (back spasms), Grant (broken nose), Roughead (shoulder)

SUBSTITUTES
Port Adelaide: Kane Mitchell replaced by Aaron Young in the fourth quarter.
Western Bulldogs: Ryan Griffen replaced by Daniel Giansiracusa at half time.

REPORTS
Port Adelaide: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Giansiracusa reported for rough conduct by umpire Margetts in the fourth quarter.

UMPIRES: Margetts, Stevic, Hay

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Basil Zempilas, Hamish McLachlan, Tom Harley, Andrew Welsh