In the end the final margin was emphatic, but Adelaide had to withstand a late Port Adelaide comeback when the game looked over early in the last quarter. RELIVE THE ACTION
Adelaide is learning to dig deep and its Showdown win over Port Adelaide was a snapshot of how they've turned their season around.
The team that had supposedly lost belief in the direction of coach Don Pyke at 1-3 a month ago, has now suddenly won four in a row and found a way to claw their way back into contention without some of their top-end talent.
And they had to call on that "Showdown spirit" deep in the final quarter when Port Adelaide made a brave run with five unanswered goals which took them from 44 points down to within 12 in time-on.
A prime mover down with Matt Crouch gone before halftime, on a shorter break with sore bodies after a slugfest against the Dockers, the Crows looked out on their feet but found something in the final minutes.
And it was captain Taylor Walker who stopped the late onslaught when he slotted a set shot from 30m on an angle in the 26th minute.
For three quarters Adelaide silenced the Port Adelaide crowd by suffocating its forwards in a Showdown win that was built on a defensive domination.
But as the midfield tired, Port got a sniff and finally hit the scoreboard.
They had all the momentum but simply had too much ground left to make up.
The loss wasn't a total disaster for Port Adelaide.
Really, how many people thought that without Jonas, Wines, R. Gray, Ebert, Hartlett and Dixon that anything other than the unpredictability of Showdowns would carry them to victory?
And the job got even harder when they lost Ryan Burton who started on Eddie Betts with a hamstring injury in the first term.
But what Saturday night showed is that Dixon's continued absence is being increasingly felt, particularly when 10-goal hybrid Ebert who has been a marking target and pressure forward was also in the stands.
The two sides shadow boxed for 15 minutes without a goal before the Crows went ahead on points with opportunistic goals in the second quarter, and although Port got rolling in the last with five unanswered goals, Adelaide had the answer.
BATTLE OF THE BIGS
So much was made of the ruck duel between premiership big-man Scott Lycett and All-Australian Paddy Ryder going up against Adelaide's Reilly O'Brien and Elliott Himmelberg who had just 11 AFL games between them.
Port won hit-outs 50-39 and the midfield won clearances 53-36, but the Crows were able to pick them off after that and turn defence into attack.
O'Brien had his hands full but he held his own. As he approached Ryder before the bounce like two boxers about to touch gloves, Ryder dropped his shoulder and cannoned into the young Crow to signal his intent.
Ryder also produced an inspiring chase-down tackle on Matt Crouch which resulted in a Sam Powell-Pepper goal, while Lycett worked hard around the ground.
But O'Brien held his nerve and while he didn't get a heap of the footy (10 disposals), he didn't let Ryder or Lycett dominate either so will count that as a big win.
COMEBACK KIDS
Two of the most popular yet unassuming players from either side - Matthew Broadbent and Luke Brown - both made impressive returns from injury last night.
Port's Broadbent was playing his first game in over 600 days and the faithful cheered when he ran onto the ground after starting on the bench then cheered when he was isolated one-out with Tom Lynch inside 50m and stopped what would have been a certain goal just before quarter-time..
Brown was even better, confirming why the Crows were so keen to get him in to the AFL side after just one SANFL game this season.
He had 13 disposals in the first half and twice out-pointed Sam Powell-Pepper in one-on-ones deep in defence. In a backline already missing Tom Doedee and Wayne Milera, Brown's return was a welcome relief for the Crows.
Two other players who also returned to the Power side from the SANFL were Steven Motlop and Aidyn Johnson but both had forgettable nights.
STANDING TALL
The win was built from the backline for the Crows whose talls and smalls combined beautifully and Alex Keath walked away with the Showdown Medal.
Port Adelaide kicked just two goals from 31 inside 50s in the first half with Daniel Talia and Keath dominating - and its first three majors came from small forwards Connor Rozee, Karl Amon and midfielder Sam Powell-Pepper.
Todd Marshall, Justin Westhoff, and even Lycett and Ryder when they went forward never looked dangerous but too often the kick coming in was to the wrong option or just bombed long in hope.
Keath opened the third quarter with a courageous mark going back with the flight of the footy and he and Talia had enormous support from Kyle Hartigan, Brown and Jake Kelly.
Westhoff was moved up the ground in the second half and Port moved Howard forward in the last quarter and he kicked two goals but it was too little too late.
ROCK AND ROLLING
Tom Rockliff was the best midfielder on the ground, finishing with a game-high 41 disposals including 23 contested.
With Ollie Wines now out for at least a month with injury, Port needs Rockliff more than ever and he and Travis Boak got them going in a barnstorming final term.
Sam Powell-Pepper also had his best game for a month, finishing with 19 disposals, two goals and 10 tackles while Travis Boak was slow to get going he stormed home with 28 disposals (18 contested).
Adelaide was reliably served by Rory Sloane and Brad Crouch while Hugh Greenwood had a big impact with 22 touches and a goal - although he would like to have that moment again from the last quarter when his set shot went into the man on the mark at a crucial time.
ADELAIDE 2.1 6.5 10.8 13.10 (88)
PORT ADELAIDE 0.2 2.8 3.12 9.14 (68)
BEST
Adelaide: Keath, Lynch, Laird, Talia, Greenwood, B. Crouch
Port Adelaide: Rockliff, Howard, Powell-Pepper, Lienert, Clurey
GOALS
Adelaide: Lynch 3, Walker, Knight 2, Mackay, Sloane, Atkins, Murphy, Himmelberg, Greenwood
Port Adelaide: Powell-Pepper, Howard 2, Rozee, Amon, Farrell, S. Gray, Duursma
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Burton (hamstring)
Adelaide: M. Crouch (hip)
UMPIRES: L. Fisher, B. Rosebury, A. Stephens.
CROWD: 49,675 at Adelaide Oval.
REECE HOMFRAY'S VOTES:
3 - Alex Keath (Adel)
2 - Tom Rockliff (PA)
1 - Tom Lynch (Adel)
Jesper Fjeldstad
Another front-half turnover led to another Tom Lynch goal to open the quarter and the sting was starting to come out of the game.
Rory Sloane continued to run, tackle and create tirelessly when there was a fair bit of fatigue creeping into the game.
Port came at the Crows in an unexpected run and banged on five in a row with Dougal Howard shifted forward.
But the Crows slowed it down before Walker delivered the knock-out blow before Riley Knight sealed it.
Jesper Fjeldstad
Another front-half turnover led to another Tom Lynch goal to open the quarter and the sting was starting to come out of the game.
Rory Sloane continued to run, tackle and create tirelessly when there was a fair bit of fatigue creeping into the game.
Port came at the Crows in an unexpected run and banged on five in a row with Dougal Howard shifted forward.
But the Crows slowed it down before Walker delivered the knock-out blow before Riley Knight sealed it.
Adelaide fans can breathe easy now.
The Crows have kicked the last two goals to withstand Port's comeback.
The margin is back out to four goals with two minutes remaining.
Hugh Greenwood threw away an opportunity to halt Port Adelaide's momentum after taking hanger in front of goal.
But from 20m out, Greenwood's kick was touched on the mark by Paddy Ryder.
A goal would have extended the lead back out to 24 points.
Instead, the Power took the ball to the other end and kicked a fifth unanswered goal to trail by 12 points.
Hugh Greenwood takes a hanger, but probably wishes he could have this kick again!#AFLPowerCrows pic.twitter.com/1q32jXQp5x
— AFL (@AFL) May 11, 2019
This contest looked over early when Tom Lynch booted the opening goal of the last quarter.
The Crows jumped to a 44-point lead but the Power has kicked the last four goals to cut the margin back to 18 points with more than 12 minutes left.
This contest looked over early when Tom Lynch booted the opening goal of the last quarter.
The Crows jumped to a 44-point lead but the Power has kicked the last four goals to cut the margin back to 18 points with more than 12 minutes left.
Adelaide has seized control of the Showdown and is threatening to blow the Power away.
A sensational goal from young key forward Elliott Himmelberg had the Power on the ropes.
Himmelberg, who replaced Josh Jenkins in the Crows line-up in Round 5, was awarded a free kick after a brilliant tackle on Xavier Duursma.
Garry Lyon said Himmelberg has been an inspired selection and deserves to keep his spot in the team.
THE BIG EASY!#AFLPowerCrows pic.twitter.com/Db6YOaLetN
— AFL (@AFL) May 11, 2019
Jesper Fjeldstad
Port Adelaide started the quarter by taking the game on and playing with more urgency and was rewarded with a nice goal from Karl Amon – his first for the year.
More of the game was played in Port Adelaide’s forward area and the previously unflappable Crows defenders were under some pressure.
But the Crows steadied and a tackle and the ensuing goal from Elliott Himmelberg was a highlight as they pulled away again.
Adelaide has seized control of the Showdown and is threatening to blow the Power away.
A sensational goal from young key forward Elliott Himmelberg had the Power on the ropes.
Himmelberg, who replaced Josh Jenkins in the Crows line-up in Round 5, was awarded a free kick after a brilliant tackle on Xavier Duursma.
Garry Lyon said Himmelberg has been an inspired selection and deserves to keep his spot in the team.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsTHE BIG EASY!#AFLPowerCrows pic.twitter.com/Db6YOaLetN
— AFL (@AFL) May 11, 2019
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