Australian Football

Match Report

On Sunday afternoon at Alberton Oval, the Magpies hosted the Double Blues. The last five games between these two clubs have been all Sturt victories, probably a fitting response to being on the wrong end of the same number in the five games before those! The last match took place in the late stages of Season 2013, which incidentally was at Alberton where the Blues nicked a seven-point win. You have to go back to late 2011 to find the Magpies last victory, a four-goal win at Adelaide Oval. But Port's fortunes at SANFL level have been drastically changed as of 2014, they haven't really been challenged after their opening round loss to the Redlegs.

The Magpies fired away in the first term, despite some inaccuracy they would lead by 28 points at the first break after kicking 6.5 to 2.1 to kick off the afternoon. The second quarter would resemble a shootout, the Magpies stretching the gap to 33 points by the long break after they took a further 5.1 to 4.2. With the Port defence holding firm, the home side could do whatever they wanted, and when play resumed for the third quarter the Magpies employed some keep-away football and slowed play. Despite that, they repeated their first term efforts by banging through a further 6.5 to the Blues' 2.2. At three quarter-time, the 'Pies held a 10-goal advantage. That was pretty much all they needed to do for the afternoon, the final term was the only quarter that Sturt outscored Port in as they managed 3.5 to 2.1, reducing the final margin to 50 points.

Anthony Biemans was voted best for Port, while the Blues named Richard Tambling as their best afield.