Port Adelaide’s midfield dominated proceedings at Alberton Oval on Sunday in the Magpies 63-point win over Woodville-West Torrens.
Willem Drew had 38 disposals and six tackles and Jack Trengove had 33 disposals, 14 tackles and five clearances, while Scott Lycett managed 30 disposals, 33 hitouts and eight marks in his first game in Magpies colours since 2010.
Steve Motlop was unstoppable in the forward line and finished with five goals, 15 disposals, six marks and four tackles.
Port locked in a finals spot and showed damaging signs from the first bounce as returning big men Lycett and Dougal Howard imposed themselves on the contest with big contested marks in the opening minutes.
The first five minutes was a tight, goalless tussle before Port wrestled the momentum with four quick goals and controlled the contest for the remainder of the game.
Motlop steamed back with the flight and took a stretching mark in the goalsquare to kick the first goal of the match and four minutes later Kane Farrell finished off a nice string of handballs with a running goal from the 50m ark.
Drew had a massive 10-disposal first quarter and smashed Tom Schmusch in a tackle before finishing with a goal from the holding the ball free kick.
Acting captain Trengove was also enormous in the first term with 11 disposals, five tackles and two clearances as the Magpies led by 27 points at quarter time.
Port trailed the Eagles in disposals, clearances and hitouts at quarter time but it was quickly turned around in a dominant second quarter.
Lycett began to dominate the ruck battle over former Power big man Jarrad Redden and the midfield began to get on top as Drew and Trengove finished the half with a combined 41 disposals.
James Rowe kicked the Eagles first goal of the match two minutes into the second quarter but from that point forward it was one way traffic going towards Port’s Scott Hodges end in a five-goal-to-two term.
Boyd Woodcock kicked two goals from the goalsquare during the second term, while Howard and Farrell both kicked their second goals before half time.
Leading by 47 points at the major break, Port didn’t stop there and kicked two goals in the first four minutes of the third term as Billy Frampton stretched over his opponent to goal in the goal square and Farrell booted his third.
The Eagles squandered goal scoring opportunities which proved costly as Motlop popped up again for his second goal, this time from the Allan Scott Headquarters pocket.
Nick Hayes kicked Woodville-West Torrens first goal for more than a quarter and third for the match at the 13-minute mark but the Magpies responded with two goals in three minutes to extend the three quarter time margin to an even 10 goals.
With only pride to play for the Eagles kicked the first goal of the last term through former Crow Jared Petrenko, but Motlop stepped up again with another two goals in the final quarter to sink their spirits – as the cheersquad began singing the song.
McKenzie was fantastic across half back and as he has done all year led the inexperienced defence with 25 disposals, including 20 kicks and seven marks.
Port impressively finished the game leading both the disposal and tackle count convincingly in a dominant, four-quarter performance
SCORE:
Port Adelaide: 4.5, 9.8, 14.12, 18.14 (122)
Woodville-West Torrens: 0.2, 2.3, 5.6, 8.11 (59)
DISPOSALS: Drew 38, Trengove 33, Lycett 30, McKenzie 25, Atley 24
GOALS: Motlop 5, Farrell 3, Howard 3, Woodcock 3, Davidson, Drew, Frampton, Mayes
BEST: Drew, Trengove, McKenzie, Frampton, Motlop, Lycett
