Port Adelaide puts Crows to the sword at Alberton Oval

THE two-way football that made Port Adelaide unbeatable earlier this season returned on Saturday as it all but secured top spot against the Crows.

THE two-way football that made Port Adelaide unbeatable earlier this season returned at Alberton on Saturday as the Magpies all but secured top spot and killed off the Crows finals aspirations.

Port, led by outstanding trio Andrew Moore, Steve Summerton and Kane Mitchell, were too tough inside and worked too hard on the spread in a 52-point win in front of 6197 fans.

Adding to the Crows’ woes was an injury to defender Kyle Hartigan, who left the ground on stretcher in the second term after backing into a pack and being collected by teammate Ben Rutten.

He did not return to the ground and there was concern about his back.

The win pushed the Magpies two-wins, plus percentage, clear at the top of the table with four rounds to play and would have pleased their coach Garry Hocking and Power mentor Ken Hinkley.

The form of Mitchell and Moore gives Hinkley selection options ahead of next week’s crunch match against Collingwood, and the run the Magpies had in their legs on Saturday may be more than an omen for a Power team currently enjoying a much needed rest.

Hocking said his side’s willingness to work and play for each other was the biggest difference compared to a fortnight ago when it lost to North Adelaide.

“We played four quarters, which was what we wanted to try and tick off,’’ Hocking said.

“We’ve been starting well, poor second quarters, (breakeven) in the third quarters and then we’ve fallen off the horse a little bit in the last quarter…

“Moore, (Brendon) Ah Chee, (Jake) Neade, Summo (Summerton) our stuff away from stoppages was probably a little bit of difference in the game.”

Port should have led by more than 15 points at the opening change as it dominated in-close and set up good chances going forward.

Crow Cameron Ellis-Yolmen began having an impact around the stoppages for in the second term and Adelaide briefly looked in the match as Jason Porplyzia twice goaled to keep the margin to under three goals at halftime.

But Port’s midfield got right back on top in the third term and, in the space of five brilliant minutes, it killed the contest.

First Mitchell got on the end of three handballs in one break from the middle and capped the hard run with a goal.

Then Nathan Krakouer gathered, turned his opponent inside-out and goaled from 35m on the boundary, before Moore converted brilliantly in front of the bowling club.

Rutten’s blanketing of the confidence-shot John Butcher and the form of veteran Jason Porplyzia were two of the only positives for the Crows.

“We were beaten inside and outside the contest,’’ Crows SANFL coach Heath Younie said .

PORT ADELAIDE 3.5 6.10 12.13 15.16 (106)

ADELAIDE 1.2 4.5 5.8 7.12 (54)

BEST – Port: Moore, Summertoon, Mitchell, Neade, Slattery, Clurey. Adelaide: Rutten, Porplyzia, Ellis-Yolmen, Crouch, Petrenko, Battersby.

GOALS – Port: Moore, Neade 3, Shaw, Krakouer 2, Amon, Slattery, Harvey, Johansen, Mitchell. Crows: Porplyzia 3, Ellis-Yolmen, Burns, Petrenko, Callinan.

UMPIRES: Fleer, Crosby, Glouftsis

CROWD: 6197

INJURIES – Crows: Hartigan (back). Port: Johansen (soreness)

Power coach Ken Hinkley was at Alberton Oval to check out the action on Saturday. Picture: Matt Turner.

RIVALRY FELT TRADITIONAL ... IN A DIFFERENT WAY

SOME wore teal, others black and white and scattering red, yellow and blue.

They cued at the gates, they filled the stands and terraces and when the Magpies turned up the heat in the third term that trademark raucous cheer rang around Alberton Oval.

It was the Showdown, meets the SANFL, meets Alberton Oval.

For moments it felt like an SANFL game of yesteryear as the Alberton faithful, who must have numbered 5600 or the 6197 strong crowd, got behind the Magpies.

Andrew Moore’s brilliant set shot from the boundary in front of the bowling green was met with the same roar of approval Port fans might have once afforded to the likes of Russell Ebert and Tim Evans.

Port was belting its rival, or was it?

It wasn’t Norwood the Magpies were putting to the sword and the match didn’t feel like it.

About 600 Crows fans gamely entered the heartland of enemy territory and were made welcome in a match which had a slightly carnival atmosphere.

Among the Adelaide fans was Sam Fedele, of Golden Grove, who said enjoyed getting back to a suburbs.

“We had a free afternoon and there was no AFL so we thought we’d come along and have a look,’’ he said.

“It’s still good footy and it’s good to get to a SANFL game when we get the chance.’’

A few Crows fans were even game enough to boo as the Magpies ran onto the ground and they cheered as the Adelaide found its feet briefly in the second term.

But the virtual silence as Jason Porplyzia kicked a consolation goal in the final term almost had an interstate team kicking a goal on the road feel about it.

It was a good atmosphere, just different.