Australian Football

Match Report

With this match a battle between a side looking to consolidate a place in the top four - the Western Bulldogs - and another looking to break into the top eight - Port Adelaide - Saturday's clash at the Adelaide Oval promised to be a thrilling affair, and it proved to be just that. With one team and then the other holding sway at various points in the match, it was the Bulldogs who found themselves just on the right side of the ledger when the final siren sounded, a pulsating three-point win keeping them in the top four and within one game of top side North Melbourne.

The win was all the more meritorious for the Bulldogs for the fact that they lost playmaker Luke Dahlhaus in the latter stages of the first term, after he had kicked the first goal of the match, along set shot that was the result of a free kick. The Power responded and took the lead with a mark and goal to Robbie Gray at the nine-minute mark, but a major to Marcus Bontempelli and two to Jack Redpath saw the Dogs ahead by three goals midway through the quarter. Jack Neade chimed in with two of the next three goals to cut the margin to 12 points. Jarman Impey's first cut the margin back to four points but Redpath's third for the term saw the Bulldogs leading by 10 points at the first change of ends.

Port came out firing in the second quarter, and goals to Aaron Young had the Power in front after five minutes. They dominated the play for the next 15 minutes after that, but couldn't make the Dogs pay on the scoreboard, gleaning only four further behinds before the tide turned and the Bulldogs regained some semblance of control. A late major to Tory Dickson had the Bulldogs back in front at the long break. 

Port Adelaide again started the third quarter the stronger, and majors to Ollie Wines and Charlie Dixon within the first five minutes had the Power ahead by 10 points. The Dogs regained composure more quickly this time around, and goals to Shane Biggs, Tom Liberatore and Jake Stringer had them back ahead by 10 points early in time on. But the tide turned once more and a brace of goals to Chad Wingard within the space of a minute had Port back in front at the 24-minute mark. A mark and goal in the dying seconds of the term saw the Power take a nine-point lead into the last break.

That break signalled another change of fortune as the Bulldogs - particularly Jake Stringer - came out full of running early in the final quarter. The Dogs added three goals in quick time, two of those to Stringer and one to Mitch Honeychurch to turn the nine-point three-quarter-time deficit into a nine-point lead after just five minutes. The match tightened up once more after that and, after the two sides traded in behinds, a mark and goal to Charlie Dixon saw Port back within a point.

Another period of behinds ensued before a long bomb to the goal-square was marked by Jack Redpath, who converted to put the Dogs nine points clear. Again the Power came, though, and a beautiful long goal from Brad Ebert had Port back within three before a fine mark and goal to Bontempeli put the Bulldogs nine points clear at the 25-minute mark and seemingly safe. They defended strongly from then on until a late mark and goal to Aaron Young gave Port one last chance to steal victory with 17 seconds remaining. The Power won the ensuing centre clearance but the Bulldogs held firm and rejoiced in a thrilling three-point win when the siren sounded.

Bontempelli's stocks continue to rise after another fine game which saw him pick up 29 disposals and kick two vital goals. Meanwhile, Robbie Gray (32 possessions and four tackles) played a great game for the Power.

The win keeps the Bulldogs inside the top four and they will have the chance to push further up the ladder next Saturday night when they take on second-placed Geelong at Docklands. 

GOALS

Port Adelaide: Wingard, Dixon, Neade, Young 2; Impey, Howard, Wines, Gray, Boak, Ebert
Western Bulldogs: Redpath 4; Stringer 3; Dickson, Bontempelli 2; Liberatore, Honeychurch, Dahlhaus, Biggs

BEST 
- AFL.COM.AU
Port Adelaide: R. Gray, Wines, Pittard, Polec, Neade, Young
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli, Honeychurch, Daniel, Macrae, Boyd, Morris

BEST 
- HERALD SUN
Port Adelaide: R. Gray, Wines, Ebert, Pittard, Young, Trengove
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli, Boyd, Liberatore, Redpath, Wallis, Stringer

INJURIES 

Port Adelaide: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Dahlhaus (knee)

UMPURES: Meredith, Fisher, Pannel

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Dwayne Russell, Jason Dunstall, Mark Ricciuto, Cameron Mooney