Eagles fight back from five goals behind to down Magpies in SANFL thriller
EAGLES coach Michael Godden hailed his team’s character and resilience after it produced a stunning comeback to beat Port Adelaide at Woodville and move to the top of the SANFL ladder as the injury-hit Magpies’ finals hopes look shot.
EAGLES coach Michael Godden hailed his team’s character and resilience after it produced a stunning comeback to beat Port Adelaide at Woodville.
The Eagles trailed by 28 points midway through the third quarter on Sunday before kicking the final seven goals of the game to win by 17 points in a performance which saw them jump to the top of the premiership table.
The perennial powerhouse dug deep under intense pressure to wear down a Magpies side, which lost key men Matthew Broadbent (ankle) and Jake Neade (knee) to injuries in the final term, that controlled the game for nearly three quarters.
“It’s the first time this year we’ve come from behind to win so that should do a lot for the players’ confidence,’’ Godden said.
“Port has played some good football recently and we just hung in there and hung in there and when we got a couple of goals in a row the emotion took over and we finished really strongly.
“Our boys showed great character, kept fighting and deserved the win. I felt we were in the fight for the whole game and that if we could keep working hard we might be able to outlast them, which happened.’’
The hard-earned win consolidated the Eagles’ top-three spot, with Godden declaring that’s all that matters.
“The double chance (in the finals) is what everyone wants,’’ he said, noting how his team’s midfield, led by James Boyd, Scott Lewis and Chris Hall, lifted when the game was on the line.
“We’ve won nine games (with one draw) now and 12 (wins) is the magic number (to finish top three), that’s what our focus is.’’
In contrast, Port’s finals hopes appear buried after its second half collapse left it sitting in eighth spot — five premiership points outside the top five.
“It’s disappointing because we played so well for a large part of the game but we couldn’t play a whole four quarters,’’ coach Matthew Lokan said.
“I thought we were really good with how we served it up to them but the Eagles are a quality side and we knew they were going to come back.
“We just weren’t able to hold on for long enough and our last quarter was disappointing. We fell away in a couple of areas and they got their running game going and were able to break the game open.’’
Port — fielding 16 AFL-listed players — jumped the Eagles by kicking three unanswered goals in the opening nine minutes, including two to the impressive Kane Farrell.
When ruckman Peter Ladhams and midfielder Cameron Hewett goaled early in the second quarter, Port had pushed its lead out to a game-high 29 points.
The margin was still 28 midway through the third quarter before the home side started its comeback.
Veteran Power defender Broadbent — in his second SANFL game back from two surgeries on his right ankle — hurt his left against the Eagles and the club does not believe the injury his serious.
It also believes small forward Neade has not suffered serious damage to the knee he hurt in the final term.
SCOREBOARD
EAGLES 2.2 3.3 7.8 11.10 (76)
PORT 5.0 7.3 9.4 9.5 (59)
BEST — Eagles: Boyd, Lewis, Hall, Sharrad, Poole, Johansen, Haylock. Port: Amon, Toumpas, Summerton, Lienert, Marshall, Snelling, Ladhams.
GOALS — Eagles: J. Hayes, Comitogianni, Haylock 2, Johansen, Von Bertouch, Lewis, Hall, Sharrad. Port: Farrell, Patmore 3, Ladhams, Hewett, Kluske.
INJURIES — Port: Broadbent (ankle), Neade (knee).
UMPIRES — T. Philp, M. Harris, T. Medline.