Port Adelaide wins tight SANFL semi final against Adelaide
Port Adelaide is through to the SANFL second semi-final to face minor premier Glenelg, while the Crows will face Norwood in the knockout first semi-final at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
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Port Adelaide will face Glenelg in a second semi-final for the first time since 1990 after a hard-fought 30-point victory over Adelaide on Saturday night.
While it lacked the lustre of an AFL Showdown, the qualifying final proved a tough, entertaining contest and only three points separated the teams at three-quarter time.
But Port’s ability to lock the ball inside its forward half and keep racking up inside 50s — the count finished 64-37 — eventually overwhelmed the Crows during a five-goal to one last term.
In some ways it was fitting that Tobin Cox, who had butchered five goal scoring chances during the second half, kicked the major that gave the Magpies some breathing space 15 minutes into the quarter.
A major problem for Adelaide was its lack of height after ruckman Kieran Strachan’s pre-game withdrawal due to concussion.
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That meant key forward Elliott Himmelberg had to battle manfully against Port’s three giants Peter Ladhams, Sam Hayes and Billy Frampton for most of the game, and Ladhams (23 disposals, two goals, 23 hit-outs), in particular, took advantage.
Port finished with a 47-15 hit-out ascendancy and led the clearances 38-28.
The game started with a flashback to the 2016 grand final as Jarrod Lienert slotted a goal from 50m on the run in a similar spot to where he did in Sturt’s premiership win three years ago.
But the Crows responded by kicking the next three majors — via Chayce Jones, Shane McAdam and Darcy Fogarty.
One of the Power’s biggest issues this season was their inefficiency going forward and that plagued the Magpies, who led Adelaide 19-9 in the inside 50 count at quarter-time yet scores were level.
The Crows kicked the first goal of the second term within 53 seconds to Tyson Stengle but Port lifted midway through the quarter and banged on three consecutive goals that pushed it out to a 12-point lead.
In that time, the Magpies also were able curtail Adelaide’s rebound from defence.
It felt like Port would run away with the game if it kicked the first few goals of the third term but instead the Crows slotted one first through top-up player Jordon Boyle.
The match became more congested during the third quarter as rain began to fall.
When Tyson Stengle snapped truly, the margin had been cut back to two points.
The first goal of the last quarter was always going to be crucial and Sam Mayes slotted it to push Port back out to an 11-point lead.
After Cox finally converted his second, Boyd Woodcock kicked two majors and Kane Farrell one to seal the result and in doing so maintain Port’s record not losing a game it led at half-time in 2019.
For the Crows, their defence did well to hold out the Magpies for so long and youngsters Lachlan Sholl (24 disposals, six marks) and Jones (14 touches, one goal) put their hands up for AFL spots early next season.
Adelaide will face Norwood in a knockout semi-final in the first game next Sunday before the Magpies take on Glenelg for a spot in the premiership decider.
SCOREBOARD
Port Adelaide 3.1 6.3 7.9 12.13 (85)
Adelaide 3.1 4.3 7.6 8.7 (55)
BEST — Magpies: McKenzie, Ladhams, Trengove, Drew, Mayes, Sutcliffe.
Crows: Wright, Sholl, Jones, Otten, Wilson, Boyle.
GOALS — Magpies: Mayes 3; Cox, Ladhams, Woodcock 2; Farrell, Hayes, Lienert.
Crows: Boyle, Stengle 2; Fogarty, Jones, McAdam.
CROWD — 12,473 at Adelaide Oval
NEXT WEEK
Sunday, September 8
Adelaide Oval
FIRST SEMI-FINAL, 12.15pm
Adelaide Crows v Norwood
SECOND SEMI-FINAL, 3.15pm
Glenelg v Port Adelaide