AHEAD of their meeting in Round 21 of the 2018 AFL Premiership Season we thought we would look back at one of our favourite clashes between Port Adelaide and West Coast. 

The Power came into the home final at Football Park having won four games in a row to finish second on the ladder behind runaway minor premier Geelong. 

West Coast narrowly missed out on hosting the game, finishing just percentage behind the Power on the ladder. 

The Power got the ideal start when it kicked the first goal through an unlikely source when defender Troy Chaplin marked and booted his first goal of the season – just the third of his career. 

But from there, the Eagles had much of the game on their terms as the Football Park crowd became agitated. 

Deep into the third quarter the visitors opened up a four-goal lead, but a left footed snap around the body by skipper Warren Tredrea with two minutes to play started to turn the game. 

When Eagles midfielder Ben Cousins pulled his hamstring from the resulting centre bounce and Daniel Motlop took an incredible pack mark to goal after the three-quarter time siren, just seven points separated the sides. 

Goals to Kane Cornes and Steven Salopek had the Power well placed as the time ticked away, but the Eagles kept responding. 

A vey skinny Justin Westhoff, in just his 14th game, plucked the ball out of the air with one hand in front of Motlop and converted the set shot, but after another Eagles goal with three minutes to go, it was a one-point game. 

Somehow, the Power held on, finishing winners by three points and booking a home preliminary final. 

Peter Burgoyne was among his side’s best with 29 disposals and a goal, while Chaplin had 24 possessions and ten marks to go with his major. 

Remarkably the side had nine individual goal scorers.

PORT ADELAIDE             1.3   2.7    6.9    9.14   (68)
WEST COAST                  2.3   3.6   7.10   9.11   (65)

GOALS
Port Adelaide: P. Burgoyne, S. Burgoyne, Chaplin, K Cornes, Ebert, Motlop, Salopek, Tredrea, Westhoff
West Coast: Judd, Lynch 2, LeCras, Cox, Hurn, Rosa, Seaby

Umpires: Rosebury, Ryan, Vozzo

Crowd: 37,750 at Football Park

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