PORT ADELAIDE has returned to football in scintillating form, enjoying a 75-point win over cross-town rival Adelaide in Showdown 48.

The Power stormed home with 13 of the last 15 goals to record its biggest win over the Crows.

Wearing the iconic ‘prison bar’ guernsey that saw so much success in the club’s 150-year history, and for the first time since a barnstorming win over Richmond in the 2014 Elimination Final, Port Adelaide kept the Crows to their lowest score in a game in Adelaide.

It was a nervy start with clear signs of rustiness amongst Port’s players and neither side troubling the scorers for the first five minutes.

05:35

The Crows settled the better and had the first two goals with captain Rory Sloane walking into an open goal after a Power turnover on centre wing and young forward Darcy Fogarty nailing a set shot from right on 50.

Fogarty immediately went into the ruck and the home side exploited his lack of height and experience, immediately getting the centre clearance.

A long ball inside 50 landed in the arms of Todd Marshall inside the goal square and he had the easiest of goals and the Power’s first major.

It was Marshall and another young gun, Connor Rozee, who helped turned the tide with consecutive goals – Rozee’s a classy snap under pressure and Marshall’s second a set shot from 15 metres out.

Not to be outdone, veteran Justin Westhoff took the margin out to 13 points at the first change with a left foot snap after manic Power pressure inside forward 50.

The Power continued their late dominance early in the second term, virtually playing in its forward half, but for all its dominance it couldn’t put it on the scoreboard.

And the Crows made the home side pay with Brodie Smith sneaking forward to snap his first major of the game and bring the margin back to just over a kick.

But that was all of Adelaide’s resistance before the main break as the Power booted the next four goals to make it eight of the last nine goals and a 32-point margin at half time.

Goals to Xavier Duurmsa, Zak Butters, Brad Ebert and Travis Boak – the latter two each after 50 metre penalties – had the Power sitting pretty. Butters’ goal in particular was a highlight with the teenager showing his instinct for goal by hacking a bouncing ball off the ground from 30 metres out.

Boak, Butters, Rozee and Robbie Gray each had 12 touches to the break while Rozee beat his previous best of two clearances to lead all comers with six.

00:39

Coach Ken Hinkley, and many Port Adelaide coaches before him, would have liked what he saw as the side put the foot on the Adelaide throat in the third term, doubling the advantage to 64-points at the final change.

It was becoming a forgettable night for the Crows as Sloane hobbled off for the night with a corked thigh, joining defender Jake Kelly (concussion) in being ruled out.

The Power continued on its merry way with Charlie Dixon getting his first goal of the game from a free kick inside 50 and Steven Motlop enjoying a dazzling period where he took a huge mark and slotted two goals – his second the pick of the two as he crumbed a pack and danced past two opponents before an outside of the boot snap.

01:03

Duursma remained busy, booting two third quarter goals and Westhoff marked 25 metres out to make it nine goals in a row for the home side.

A goal to Adelaide’s Brad Crouch in the second minute of the final stanza broke the rot, but it was only a temporary easing of the pressure.

Charlie Dixon got his second after a strong mark 20 metres out from goal and his third after taking the ball straight from a ruck contest and snapping around the body from 45 metres out.

Westhoff’s third goal in the dying stages took the lead out to 66-points before a late point to debutant Crow Ned McHenry saw the final result rest at 65-points.

The result, with the Port Adelaide in its iconic ‘prison bar’ guernsey, was a fitting celebration of the club’s history and tradition in its 150th anniversary year.

Travis Boak won his second Showdown Medal as best on ground after managing 24 touches, four clearances and a goal.

 

SCOREBOARD

PORT ADELAIDE 4.2 8.4 14.7 17.8 (110)
ADELAIDE 2.1 3.2 4.3 5.5 (35)


Goals

Duursma, Dixon, Westhoff 3, Marshall, Motlop 2, Rozee, Butters, Ebert, Boak

Best

Boak, Duursma, Rozee, Motlop, Butters, Lycett, Clurey, Byrne-Jones

Crowd

2,240 at Adelaide Oval