Australian Football

Match Report

On the face of it, Saturday night's match at the Adelaide Oval loomed as 'dead rubber', with Port Adelaide well entrenched in the eight and the Gold Coast Suns not in contention for the finals. But the faint possibility of St Kilda defeating Richmond the following day meant that if the Power could win and win well, they would be able to sneak in to the top four ahead of the Tigers, and of Sydney on percentage. 

With that top-four prize - and the double chance that comes with it - in mind, Port proceeded to summarily tear the Suns apart. The home side was only two points ahead at quarter time, but they put an insipid Gold Coast to the sword over the final three terms to win by 115 points, the biggest margin of the season. Ultimately in did not give the Power a place in the top four,. as Richmond went on to win on Sunday, but it did see them into the finals for the first time since 2014, a home elimination match against West Coast to come on Saturday week.

Charlie Dixon got Port going with a mark and goal at the three-minute mark, but the Suns attacked heavily after that eventually getting reward for effort when Jarryd Lyons soccered one through at the eight-minute mark to level the scores. Robbie Gray kicked his first goal for the Power at the 10-minute mark after marking 45 metres out but it was to be another 15 minutes before either side scored a major, Peter Wright kicking truly for the Suns after taking a diving mark. At the first change, Port led narrowly, 2.3 to 2.1. For the Suns, a familiar story was about to unfold, as they were to fall away dramatically after a competitive first term.

Even by their own standards, the Suns' drop off in the second term was dramatic. Dan Houston signalled the start of a dominant Port Adelaide quarter when he kicked a running goal inside the first minute, and from there it was a procession for the rest of the quarter. The Power slammed on six more goals, with Sam Gray and Chad Wingard getting two each, while Gold Coast failed to register even a behind, and Port was 47 points clear at the half.

Things only got worse for Gold Coast in the third quarter. Incredibly, the Suns failed to score for a second consecutive term, while Sam Gray and his Power teammates continued on their merry way. Gray added another two goals, Port finishing with 5.6 for the term, inaccuracy in front of goal the only thing preventing their lead at the last change of end being greater than the 83 points that it was.

The Suns finally hit the scoreboard early in the final term with a centre clearance and behind to Ben Ainsworth, and a mark and goal gave them their first major score since the 25-minute mark of the first quarter when Wright marked and kicked his second at the four-minute mark. But the Power had no intention of cruising to victory. They put the clamps back on Gold Coast and the Suns failed to score again. Port, meanwhile slammed on another six goals, Sam Gray kicking his fifth and sixth major and Dixon taking his tally to four. When the final siren sounded, the scoreboard showed the Power a whopping 115 points to the good, 135 to 20.

Sam Gray was a standout for the victors with his six goals and eight marks, while Paddy Ryder's great form in the ruck continued. He had 20 possessions and 37 hitouts. For the Suns, Peter Wright (seven marks, 19 disposals) and Jarrod Harbrow (24 possessions, eight marks) were among the very few who could hold their heads high at game's end.

While the Suns will spend the off-season soul-searching and seeking out a coach who can lift them out of the mire, Port Adelaide will be looking forward to what it hopes will be a successful September, the first challenge a home final against West Coast on Sunday week.

GOALS
Port Adelaide: S. Gray 6; Dixon 4; Neade, Wingard 2; R. Gray, Houston, Westhoff, Ebert, Polec, Marshall
Gold Coast: Wright 2, Lyons

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Port Adelaide: S. Gray, Ryder, Wines, Dixon, Ebert, Houston, Polec
Gold Coast: Wright, Harbrow, Hanley

BEST - THE AGE
Port Adelaide: Ryder, S. Gray, Neade, Wines, Ebert, Wingard
Gold Coast: Harbrow, Swallow, Hall, Lyons, Spencer, May 

INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Nil
Gold Coast: Ah Chee (thigh)

UMPIRES: Fleer, Harris, Findlay

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