Australian Football

Match Report

Port Adelaide has put a huge dent in the finals chances of GWS, defeating the Giants by 21 points at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday. The Power broke away early in the match but the Giants worked their way back into it in both the second and third terms, hitting the front in both quarters. But a strong final term saw Port skip away to what in the end became a comfortable win from a side that has disappointed for most of 2015.

Port started strongly, with goals to Chad Wingard and Brendon Ah Chee inside the first three minutes. The Power then added a couple of behinds before the Giants took brief control of general player. That control resulted only in three behinds, though,  and Port made them pay by kicking two more goals through Brad Ebert and Jake Neade when the momentum changed again. GWS settled down in the second half of the term and kicked three of the last four majors to trail by 11 at quarter time. 

After a couple of early second-term behinds to the Power, Jeremy Cameron brought the margin back to seven with his second goal at the eight-minute mark and, after Justin Westhoff added for Port, GWS kicked the next three through Jonathan Patton and Rhys Palmer (two) to grab a two-point lead. Port hit back with three of the next four goals, though, and led by 10 points at the long break. 

A goal to Westhoff in the first minute of the third quarter extended Port's lead to 16 points, but the Giants then mounted another challenge. and majors to Cameron, Zac Williams and Cam McCarthy saw them regain the lead at the 16-minute mark. Ah Chee's third goal saw the Power snatch back the lead but they lost it three minutes later when Palmer kicked his fourth for GWS. Port added the only other score, a behind to Wingard, in the last five minutes and the Giants led by two at the last change. 

The Giants made the first foray forward in the last term but a rushed behind was their only reward. Port Adelaide then took sudden and complete control of the match. A major to John Butcher saw the Power regain the lead at the four-minute mark and then goals to Angus Monfries and Wingard extended that lead to 15. Wingard added another and when Hamish Hartlett kicked his first at the 22-minute mark, it sealed a Power victory. Palmer chimed in with his fifth late in the match but Port finished 21 points to the good. 

Best for Port included Ah Chee (three goals, 24 disposals) and Robbie Gray (26 touches and a goal), while ex-Bulldogs Callan Ward (30 possessions, four tackles) and Ryan Griffen (31 disposals, eight tackles) were among the Giants' best. 

Port will take on Hawthorn at Docklands next Friday night, having beaten the reigning premiers at home earlier in the season. The Giants, needing to win all three remaining matches to have a chance of playing finals, will take on Sydney next week, followed by bottom two sides Carlton and Melbourne in rounds 22 and 23. 

GOALS
Port Adelaide: Ah Chee, Wingard, Monfries 3; Westhoff 2; Neade, R Gray, Ebert, Butcher, Hartlett
GWS: Palmer 5; Cameron 3; Lobb, Patton, Shaw, Williams, McCarthy

BEST - THE SUNDAY AGE
Port Adelaide: R Gray, Ryder, AhChee, Pittard, S Gray, Broadbent
GWS: Ward, Griffen Shaw, Palmer, Williams, Kelly

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Port Adelaide: Ah Chee, R Gray, Ryder, Boak, Hartlett, Impey
GWS: Griffen, Palmer, Ward, Williams, Greene, Corr

INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Nil
GWS: Davis (thigh)

SUBSTITUTES
Port Adelaide: Nathan Krakouer replaced Matt White at three-quarter time.
GWS: Jack Steele replaced Phil Davis in the second quarter.

UMPIRES: Farmer, Bannister, Stephens

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Dwayne Russell, Jason Dunstall, Mark Ricciuto