SANFL 2015: Port Adelaide Magpies crush West Adelaide
PORT Adelaide will start Sunday’s qualifying final against West Adelaide as favourite after a comprehensive 37-point win over the Bloods in a dress rehearsal at Alberton.
PORT Adelaide will start Sunday’s qualifying final against West Adelaide as favourite after a comprehensive 37-point win over the Bloods in a dress rehearsal at Alberton.
The Magpies blitzed Westies with a five goal to one third quarter which cemented second on the ladder.
The two teams will meet in the opening weekend of the finals at Adelaide Oval and with the Power playing its last AFL game on Saturday, the Magpies can only field players who have qualified for the SANFL’s major round. Every Magpies player has met the SANFL finals criteria and will be free to play.
Port Adelaide coach Garry Hocking said the win was a good way to warm up for next week. “Our last six to eight weeks has been fairly solid,” he said.
“Even with a young group we’ve been competitive, consistent and won more games in the back end through being more aggressive and physical so hopefully that sets us up for finals which probably cost us last year a little bit.”
Paul Stewart, Kane Mitchell and Andrew Moore got on top in the midfield and captain Steven Summerton kicked five goals as a small forward in a match-up that will give West coach Mark Mickan plenty to think about this week.
Dougal Howard played a super game in defence with his intercept marks and did a job on the dangerous Jonathon Beech.
Shannon Green proved a handful in front of goal for the Bloods, kicking four and taking a hanger in the final quarter, and West will welcome back Aaron Fielke who missed Sunday with soreness.
Young key position player Aaron Francis didn’t play the second half due to a stomach complaint but West is confident he will be fit for the first final. Jason Porplyzia got a heap of the footy and Josh Schiller was good in heavy traffic but the Bloods were wasteful in front of goal, registering just 10 goals from 46 inside-50s.
Mickan said the game showed his side where it must improve before next week.
“There wasn’t a big differentiation in inside-50s but there was in the way the ball went in and was controlled,” Mickan said.
“It’s another situation, another venue and the scores will be even at the start of the game and we’ve got to make sure we make the most of our opportunities.”
SCOREBOARD
PORT ADELAIDE 4.2 6.4 11.6 17.6 (108)
WEST ADELAIDE 2.1 5.6 6.8 10.11 (71)
BEST — Port Adelaide: Stewart, Mitchell, Summerton, Moore, Clurey, Howard. West Adelaide: Porplyzia, Schiller, Green, Schmidt, Silverlock, Homburg, Helbig.
GOALS — Port Adelaide: Summerton 5, Shaw 3, Reynolds 2, Mitchell, Moore, Harvey, Russell, Stewart, Byrne-Jones, Palmer. West Adelaide: Green 4, Middleton 2, Beech, Anderson, Beech,
UMPIRES — A. Crosby, G. Lewis, C. Fleer.
CROWD — 3123 at Alberton Oval.