Port Adelaide secures 32-point victory over South Adelaide to cement SANFL finals berth
PORT Adelaide has secured a return to finals football and left South Adelaide’s flickering top-five hopes hanging by a thread, following a commanding 32-point triumph at Alberton Oval.
PORT Adelaide has secured a return to finals football and left South Adelaide’s flickering top-five hopes hanging by a thread.
The Magpies booted the first five goals against the Panthers at Alberton Oval on Saturday and never looked back on their way to a commanding 32-point triumph.
The victory moved Port to second on the ladder, guaranteeing post-season action for the first time since 2015.
It also left sixth-placed South (6-9) two wins adrift of a finals berth with three minor round games remaining.
Teenagers Will Snelling (24 disposals, 13 tackles) and Todd Marshall (three goals) starred as the Magpies scored freely with the strong breeze and defended tirelessly against it.
Coach Chad Cornes said winning the tackle count 93-51 proved decisive.
“I’m not sure it would have been a great game to watch due to the conditions, but I definitely would have taken that pre-game,” Cornes said.
“The tackling pressure was a real highlight. There were some really good signs from some of the younger guys and some good signs all-in-all.”
Port capitalised on the breeze at its back to build a 32-point buffer at the first change.
Captain Steven Summerton got on the board in the opening 45 seconds, while goals to Nathan Krakouer, Billy Frampton, Marshall and Brett Eddy against his old club continued the one-way traffic.
Riley Bonner added a beauty from outside 50m for the Magpies, before the Panthers finally registered a major when Abe Davis marked strongly and kicked truly in time on.
South reduced the host’s lead to 24 points in the second term but struggled to take full advantage of the wind.
The Magpies produced a great team goal as a flurry of slick handballs ended with Tom Gray converting.
Davis’ second from a tricky angle and a Matthew Raitt effort after the siren gave the Panthers a glimmer of hope.
Port sealed the win with a four-goal-to-one third quarter thanks to a 60m Jake Neade bomb, back-to-back Marshall goals and a brilliant effort from the boundary by Dan Houston.
Panthers mentor Garry Hocking said lapses at crucial moments cost his team.
“I’m happy with the effort, but there’s a few more things to iron out,” Hocking said.
We’ve got to get cleaner with skills but, they’re a super side.”
SCOREBOARD
Port Adelaide 6.2 7.3 11.8 12.11 (83)
South Adelaide 1.0 3.3 4.3 7.9 (51)
BEST - Port: Snelling, Austin, Marshall, Summerton, Bonner, Ah Chee, Leinert, Frampton South: Cross, Gulden, Rose, Liddle, Fields, Davis.
GOALS - Port: Marshall 3, Eddy 2, Houston, Bonner, Summerton, Neade, Krakouer, Frampton, T. Gray. South: Davis 2, Raitt, Gulden, Rose, Cross, Fields.
UMPIRES -M. Schramm, G. Lewis, M. Harris.
At Alberton Oval.