AHEAD of their meeting in Round 18 of the 2018 AFL Premiership Season we thought we would look back at one of our favourite clashes between Port Adelaide and Greater Western Sydney. 

The Power started the year with a win at the MCG in coach Ken Hinkley’s first official game in charge. 

The Round 2 clash was to be an emotional return to AAMI Stadium in Adelaide as Hinkley’s first game in charge at home and the club’s first home game since the death of midfielder John McCarthy. 

In the days leading into the game Hinkley had warned his players against riding on too much emotion against the Giants, and his side appeared overawed in the early stages as the visitors booted four of the first five goals. 

A 15-minute surge in the second term allowed the Power to claim a 25-point lead with six consecutive majors. 

A wasteful Port Adelaide booted nine points in a row, allowing the Giants back in the contest in the third term before Jake Neade and Chad Wingard combined to great effect in front of goal – the latter finishing with three goals. 

When Brad Ebert kicked a long goal on the run in the last term in his 100th game and kissed his black armband in honour of his good friend McCarthy, the result was all but sealed. 

The Power kicked eight consecutive goals to ice the game and complete an emotional win that kept them unbeaten to start the season. 

Justin Westhoff was best on ground with 25 touches, 14 marks and five goals while Kane Cornes (30 touches, four marks, six tackles), Ebert (25 touches, four marks, eight tackles and a goal) and Wingard (22 touches, seven marks, three goals) were also important. 

PORT ADELAIDE        2.5   8.9   12.17   19.20   (134)                  
GWS                            4.4    6.5     8.9     11.12     (78)          
 
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Westhoff 5, Wingard 3, Broadbent, Neade 2, Schulz, O'Shea, Boak, Hartlett, Stewart, Ebert, Mitchell
GWS: Cameron 3, Shiel, Giles, Coniglio, Patton, Whitfield, Treloar, Brogan, Smith
 
BEST 
Port Adelaide: Westhoff, Wingard, Neade, Pittard, Cornes, Stevenson
GWS: Whitfield, Cameron, Ward, Shiel, Coniglio, Treloar
 
INJURIES 
Port Adelaide: Hartlett (back), Schulz (ankle)
GWS: Nil
 
SUBSTITUTES
Port Adelaide: Kane Mitchell replaced Jay Schulz at three-quarter time.
GWS: Will Hoskin-Elliott replaced Stephen Gilham in the third quarter.
 
Reports: Nil
 
Umpires: Fila, Hay, Pannell
 
Official crowd: 25,122 at AAMI Stadium

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