First quarter
Port Adelaide vice captain Travis Boak won the toss and elected to kick to the northern end.
Essendon controlled the play early, converting the first goal of the game through Bellchambers to open a seven-point lead.
Spreading well from stoppages, the Power was let down by inaccurate kicking in general play and was fortunate that Essendon was equally off-target in front of goal.
Kicking long to the tall target of Daniel Stewart at the top of the square, the Power’s crumbers were rewarded twice after the ten-minute mark, with John McCarthy sealing a strong contested mark with Port’s first goal of the day.
Matt Thomas soon followed by winning the ball at ground left deep inside attacking 50 and snapping around the body to put Port Adelaide’s second on the board.
Port Adelaide continued to find opportunities in attack, but Essendon’s quick ball movement proved a challenge for the Power’s midfield - the hard running Bombers effective in winning the ball from turnovers and putting their third on the board through Dell’Olio.
The Power converted its third for the term from Westhoff converting a forty metre set shot and claimed a one-point lead over the Dons with a handful of minutes remaining. Sneaking in on the strike of thirty minutes, Westhoff put his second on the board to extend Port Adelaide’s margin to 7 points.
Gumbleton answered the Power surge with seconds left on the clock to bring the home side’s lead down to 1 point at the first change.
Scoreboard
Port Adelaide 4.3 (27)
Essendon 4.2 (26)
Goals: Westhoff 2, Thomas, McCarthy
Stats
Disposals: Broadbent 10, McCarthy, Pearce 8, Cornes 7
Marks: McCarthy 4, Logan, P. Stewart 2
Tackles: Moore 3, Boak, Brad Ebert, Thomas 2
Hitouts: Redden 4, Lobbe 3
Dreamteam: McCarthy, Westhoff 37, Brad Ebert 29
Second quarter Essendon came out of the blocks after quarter time and opened up a two-goal lead with its characteristic fast-running punishing Port Adelaide’s turnovers.
The Power had opportunities early but surrendered the ball with wasted shots on goal punished swiftly by the Bombers.
Himself having missed an earlier set shot, Brett Ebert earned a reprieve as he converted the Power’s first for the term running from 35 metres.
Bridging the gap back to five points, the Power lost the subsequent clearance and conceded another easy set shot to the Dons - one missed and limiting the scoreboard damage.
Despite the reprieve, Port Adelaide continued to hamper its own scoreboard potential - failing to seal its shots inside attacking 50 and put constantly on the back foot.
Equally, Essendon found ways to ruin its own chances.
Daniel Stewart kicked his first for the Power after being held off a marking contest inside the goal square, before Justin Westhoff punted a beauty falling to the ground after Essendon’s Fletcher overran the goal square on a kick in.
Now leading by two points, the Power had bought its way into the contest through better delivery to its forward line and putting resulting pressure on the Bombers’ defence.
Essendon was able to respond to the score, but again Port answered - this time through Brett Ebert kicking his second on the half time siren to put the Power two points in front at half time.
Scoreboard
Port Adelaide 8.6 (54)
Essendon 8.4 (52)
Goals: Westhoff 3, Brett Ebert 2, D. Stewart, Thomas, McCarthy
Stats
Disposals: Broadbent 17, Pearce 13, Cornes, Brett Ebert, Trengove 12
Marks: D. Stewart 5, McCarthy, P. Stewart 4
Tackles: Moore 4, Brad Ebert 3, Boak, Lobbe, Thomas 2
Hitouts: Lobbe, Redden 6
Dreamteam: Brett Ebert 55, Westhoff 53, Moore, D. Stewart 48
Third quarter The Power had opportunities early but surrendered the ball with wasted shots on goal punished swiftly by the Bombers.
Himself having missed an earlier set shot, Brett Ebert earned a reprieve as he converted the Power’s first for the term running from 35 metres.
Bridging the gap back to five points, the Power lost the subsequent clearance and conceded another easy set shot to the Dons - one missed and limiting the scoreboard damage.
Despite the reprieve, Port Adelaide continued to hamper its own scoreboard potential - failing to seal its shots inside attacking 50 and put constantly on the back foot.
Equally, Essendon found ways to ruin its own chances.
Daniel Stewart kicked his first for the Power after being held off a marking contest inside the goal square, before Justin Westhoff punted a beauty falling to the ground after Essendon’s Fletcher overran the goal square on a kick in.
Now leading by two points, the Power had bought its way into the contest through better delivery to its forward line and putting resulting pressure on the Bombers’ defence.
Essendon was able to respond to the score, but again Port answered - this time through Brett Ebert kicking his second on the half time siren to put the Power two points in front at half time.
Scoreboard
Port Adelaide 8.6 (54)
Essendon 8.4 (52)
Goals: Westhoff 3, Brett Ebert 2, D. Stewart, Thomas, McCarthy
Stats
Disposals: Broadbent 17, Pearce 13, Cornes, Brett Ebert, Trengove 12
Marks: D. Stewart 5, McCarthy, P. Stewart 4
Tackles: Moore 4, Brad Ebert 3, Boak, Lobbe, Thomas 2
Hitouts: Lobbe, Redden 6
Dreamteam: Brett Ebert 55, Westhoff 53, Moore, D. Stewart 48
Essendon again kicked the opening goal of the quarter but not for want of Port Adelaide to impact the contest.
The Power attacked the ball and were unlucky to be penalised for their efforts, but eventually broke through with Brett Ebert converting his third for the day and an important one in the context of a game going goal-for-goal.
Both sides continued to fight for possession and Leroy Jetta put the margin out to ten points again for the away side, but the Power continued to heap the pressure on and turned around its trouble with turnovers from the first half by moving well out of the centre and defence.
Paul Stewart put through his first for the day running out of traffic before Daniel Stewart was awarded a free kick metres from goal when the Bombers were judged to have deliberately hit the ball over the goal line.
Again leading by a point, the Power pressed forward several times but couldn’t find the marking options required to set up in front.
Matt Lobbe was subbed out of the match midway through the term with Chad Wingard coming on to impact in the midfield from the get-go.
The Bombers kicked two late goals to regain the lead and Port Adelaide trails by 11 points at the last change.
Scoreboard
Port Adelaide 11.9 (75)
Essendon 13.8 (86)
Goals: Westhoff, Brett Ebert 3, D. Stewart 2, P. Stewart, Thomas, McCarthy
Stats
Disposals: Broadbent 21, Brett Ebert 20, Cornes, Pearce 19, Boak 18
Marks: P. Stewart 7, Brett Ebert, Pearce 6
Tackles: Moore, Brad Ebert 5, Boak, Lobbe 4
Hitouts: Redden 12, Lobbe 9
Dreamteam: Brett Ebert 95, Westhoff 76, Brad Ebert 70
Fourth quarter
Trailling by 11 points at the final change, Port Adelaide faced a massive task to get ahead in the fourth quarter.The Power attacked the ball and were unlucky to be penalised for their efforts, but eventually broke through with Brett Ebert converting his third for the day and an important one in the context of a game going goal-for-goal.
Both sides continued to fight for possession and Leroy Jetta put the margin out to ten points again for the away side, but the Power continued to heap the pressure on and turned around its trouble with turnovers from the first half by moving well out of the centre and defence.
Paul Stewart put through his first for the day running out of traffic before Daniel Stewart was awarded a free kick metres from goal when the Bombers were judged to have deliberately hit the ball over the goal line.
Again leading by a point, the Power pressed forward several times but couldn’t find the marking options required to set up in front.
Matt Lobbe was subbed out of the match midway through the term with Chad Wingard coming on to impact in the midfield from the get-go.
The Bombers kicked two late goals to regain the lead and Port Adelaide trails by 11 points at the last change.
Scoreboard
Port Adelaide 11.9 (75)
Essendon 13.8 (86)
Goals: Westhoff, Brett Ebert 3, D. Stewart 2, P. Stewart, Thomas, McCarthy
Stats
Disposals: Broadbent 21, Brett Ebert 20, Cornes, Pearce 19, Boak 18
Marks: P. Stewart 7, Brett Ebert, Pearce 6
Tackles: Moore, Brad Ebert 5, Boak, Lobbe 4
Hitouts: Redden 12, Lobbe 9
Dreamteam: Brett Ebert 95, Westhoff 76, Brad Ebert 70
Fourth quarter
Essendon turned its performance up a notch and cemented its premiership contending style with a massive six goals to nil final term.
The Power’s structure and ability to clear the ball from the middle abandoned it as the Bombers rolled on multiple scoring shots to dominate the quarter and put the game beyond doubt well before the halfway point of the term.
Kicking with the breeze, the Bombers easily accounted for the Power at stoppages and in the air and wound the game down in the dying minutes to run out comfortable 50 point winners.
Port Adelaide’s next match is against Melbourne at TIO Stadium in Darwin.
Scoreboard
Port Adelaide 11.11 (77) def by
Essendon 19.12 (127)
Goals: Westhoff, Brett Ebert 3, D. Stewart 2, P. Stewart, Thomas, McCarthy
Marks: P. Stewart 7, Brett Ebert, McCarthy, D. Stewart 6
Tackles: Moore, Brad Ebert 6, Lobbe, Boak 4
Hitouts: Redden 18, Lobbe 9
Dreamteam: Brad Ebert 104, Brett Ebert 97, Boak 93
Crowd: 17, 344 at AAMI Stadium.
