SANFL 2016: Port Adelaide crushes West Adelaide by 73 points

PORT Adelaide has anchored West Adelaide to the bottom of the ladder after its AFL-listed contingent set up classy forward Luke Reynolds to a matchwinning bag of eight goals Saturday.

Steven Summerton dishes off the ball before getting sandwiched at Richmond Oval. Picture: Stephen Laffer.

PORT Adelaide has anchored West Adelaide to the bottom of the ladder after its AFL-listed contingent set up classy forward Luke Reynolds to a matchwinning bag of eight goals Saturday.

The Bloods’ breakthrough wins this season seemed a distant memory as the Magpies clinically and ruthlessly helped themselves to a thumping win that suggested they are in a streak of form.

The Magpies kept the reigning premier to two goals while banging on eight to take the life out of the match in the first half and among the protagonists were those who also spend time in Power colours.

Captain Steven Summerton set the tone early with a contribution that was both composed and uncompromising and helped set up fine games from players such as Sam Gray.

Other Port players who stood out were Paul Stewart and Sam Colquhoun for their composure and class behind the ball, Jimmy Toumpas for getting better the longer the game went and young ruckman Billy Frampton.

For the Bloods captain Chris Schmidt and Zac O’Brien were the obvious four-quarter performers but it was young John Noble, 19, playing in just his fourth game, who would be the talk of the social rooms.

Port coach Chad Cornes could finally celebrate consecutive wins this season, something that had been mentioned in the lead-up.

“It was something we spoke about,” Cornes said. “And it was the first time we were unchanged this year.

“So stability was good and the general feeling and attitude. We’ve been gelling well … came in quite confident today.”

To West Adelaide coach Mark Mickan, the last quarter fade-out was the final blow in a day to forget.

SCOREBOARD

WEST ADELAIDE 1.5 2.8 6.11 7.14 (56)

PORT ADELAIDE 4.4 8.8 12.9 19.15 (129)

Best

West Adelaide

Schmidt, O’Brien, Noble, Webb, Stevens

Port Adelaide

Gray, Reynolds, Summerton, Frampton, Stewart, Colquhoun, Toumpas

Goals

West Adelaide: Noble 2, Waite, Favretto, Green, Turner, Burgess

Port Adelaide: Reynolds 8, Palmer 3, Summerton, Butcher 2, S Gray, Toumpas, T Gray, Houston

Umpires

Scott, Philp, Hundertmark

Crowd

Around 1500 at City Mazda Stadium