Australian Football

Match Report

Port Adelaide's mid-season push towards a finals berth continued at the MCG on Sunday afternoon with an emphatic win over a disappointing Collingwood. The win was arguably thew Power's most impressive of the year, coming against a side that had shown good form in the past three weeks. Port dominated the match, easily winning all four quarters to record a 67-point victory, one which keeps it within a game of the top eight. For the Magpies, the loss was as damaging mathematically to their finals chances as much as it was demoralising. The Pies are now three game and a huge amount of percentage adrift of eighth-placed Adelaide and only a dramatic change of form and fortune would see them make a play for September action.

There was no sign of the carnage to come for Collingwood early in the match. In fact, the Pies got off to a flyer, and led 2.2 to nil after 12 minutes, the goals coming courtesy of skipper Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom. But it went downhill quickly from there for the Magpies. A goal to Aaron Young at the 13-minute mark sparked the Power and further majors to Chad Wingard, Robbie Gray, Jake Neade and Wingard again had them ahead by 18 points before a late goal to Mason Cox cut the difference back to 11 at the first break.

Port maintained control in the first three minutes of the second term but three shots at goal produced only one major to Travis Boak. The tide then turned and Collingwood had a sustained period of advantage in general play that could have seen it get back into the match. But the net result of that 13 minutes of effort was five behinds, one rushed, and misses to Jesse White (twice), Ben Crocker and Jordan de Goey. The Power then regained the initiative and goals to Jackson Trengove, Justin Westhoff, Neade and Young took them out to a 38-point lead before late majors to Cox and Sidebottom cut the half-time margin to 25.

Sadly for the Magpies, the momentum they took into the rooms at half time didn't come out with them when they re-emerged in the third term. Port attacked heavily in the first 15 minutes and goals to Wingard, Hamish Hartlett and Neade saw the Power jump to a 44-point lead to more or less 'seal the deal'. Jordan de Goey clawed one back for the Pies but Jarman Impey and Jarad Polec closed out the term with goals to see Port ahead by an even 50 points at three-quarter time.

The last quarter was little more than academic and for the first 10 minutes it seemed Port was treating it as such. The Power failed to score a goal, while Collingwood added one through Brodie Grundy. But Port then mounted one final assault, adding four goals to nil after the 12-minute mark to take the final margin out to one of thrashing proportions.

Imply was a standout for Port, with 22 touches and a goal, while Pendlebury (30 disposals, nine tackles) played another fine captain's game for the Pies.

With two wins a run under their belts, the Power will face a stern test next Saturday night when they host the fourth-placed Bulldogs at the Adelaide Oval. Collingwood will take on Melbourne in the traditional Queen's Birthday clash at the MCG on Monday.

GOALS
Collingwood: Sidebottom, Cox 2; Pendlebury, De Goey, Grundy
Port Adelaide: Neade, Young 4; Wingard 3; R Gray, Boak, Trengove, Westhoff, Neade, Hartlett, Impey, S Gray

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Collingwood: Pendlebury, Howe, Greenwood, Treloar, Sidebottom
Port Adelaide: Impey, Young, R Gray, Dixon, Wingard, Hartlett, Neade, Wines

BEST - HERALD SUN
Collingwood: Reid, Sidebottom, Howe, Sinclair, Pendlebury, Treloar
Port Adelaide: Impey, Wingard, Aaron Young, Wines, Neade, Dixon, Gray

INJURIES
Collingwood: Howe (left knee)
Port Adelaide: Boak (ankle)

UMPIRES: Fisher, Schmitt, Meredith

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Sandy Roberts, Anthony Hudson, Dermott Brereton, Jonathan Brown