AFL 2021 North Melbourne v Port Adelaide: Orazio Fantasia stars in Power debut

A combination of tactical genius and an old-fashioned bake helped spark an incredible Port Adelaide surge against North Melbourne.

Orazio Fantasia dominated in his first game for the Power. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

A good coach knows precisely when to quietly encourage players into a better game-day performance. A good coach also knows precisely when a big old-fashioned spray is required.

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley didn’t wait long in 2021 to give his players a well-deserved bake: right after the first quarter of their first game of the season.

In a weekend of Round 1 upsets – led most notably by last year’s wooden spooner (Adelaide), beating last year’s Grand Finalist (Geelong) – the reigning minor premier went into quarter-time not only two points down, but also -10 in contested possessions and -9 in inside-50s.

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“We did get a fair spray, particularly the midfielders,” Power ball-winner Ollie Wines said.

“But it was warranted, we were down a lot in first possession and contested ball, they were our main key indicators that we’d made our own over the last 12 months.

“We were aware that Round 1 tends to throw up surprises so there was no complacency on us going into the game. Kenny had us fully motivated, and to North Melbourne’s credit they came out firing playing really good footy and we were a little off in our contest and work around stoppage so they got the jump on us.”

Ollie Wines was busy at the coal face.

The Hinkley spray worked its magic because the second quarter became a Port masterclass, with Travis Boak picking up touches at will, Dan Houston hitting forward targets and Charlie Dixon taking strong marks.

At one point, Port had 25 possessions to one and won 10 straight clearances in a purple patch that saw them turn a two-point deficit into a mammoth 40-point halftime lead.

Wines (30 touches, five clearances) said the second-quarter turnaround came down to Port getting its finer detail right.

“And it was a little bit about our body position as mids, inside,” he said.

“We put a lot of work in during the week on it, but when it comes to game day under intense pressure, it can vary a little bit, so once we got that going, and we took a few more risks in centre bounce, by going the front and trying to expose North Melbourne and it really paid dividends,” he said.

“That second quarter, for the mids it was hard work, but I know a lot of the backs made the comment at halftime: ‘Geez, this is fun when we’re playing like that’.”

Dan Houston on the burst.

But Wines said the most fun part of every week for the team were the moments together after a hard-fought win, with that close-knit connection being a critical element of the Power winning the minor premiership in 2020.

So it was particularly pleasing for Wines watching as new recruits, tall defender Aliir Aliir (14 disposals), and small forward Orazio Fantasia (four goals, 14 touches) settle seamlessly into the side.

He said Fantasia’s three second-term goals were pivotal.

“That speed and gut running he has … you see when we’re able to generate those turnovers in the midfield, which we pride ourselves on, the amount of speed we’ve got to break and go, Razz (Fantasia) is exceptional at that,” he said.

“I think he fits the characteristics of the group, every club tries to pride itself on being a family-based club, but we genuinely are, we’re grassroots based and we understand our background and history and we fight and scrap for everything we’ve got and he’s done that throughout his career and he’s bought into that with us.

“You see the goals he kicks, but you don’t see the little things does, the pressure and speed he puts on, on the opposition to turn the ball over, which is exceptional and he’s an important part of us now.”

Orazio Fantasia celebrates one of his four goals.

Fantasia was speedy, elusive and able to shrug off his defenders with flair in his four-goal performance. Then, with three minutes left in the game he also proved himself selfless, when he shunned the chance to kick his fifth goal of the day, passing his set shot on goal from 50m off to Xavier Duursma (who converted).

On Fox Footy, Jason Dunstall queried the move: “What was he thinking? You don’t get bags of five every week. There are only two people happy with that: Xavier Duursma and Travis Boak because he’s looking for the three (Brownlow) votes.”

There was another: Wines, who said Fantasia’s decision was part of the team-first mentality that the ex-Bomber had bought into.

FANTASIA STAMPS PORT ARRIVAL IN STYLE

- Ronny Lerner

Port Adelaide went out and recruited Orazio Fantasia and Aliir Aliir in the off-season in their quest to go at least one step further in season 2021.

And based on the duo’s first-up performances in Power colours on Sunday, last year’s preliminary finalists would’ve been filled with early optimism about their chances of making it to a grand final this season.

Fantasia looked as dangerous as ever in attack, booting three of his four goals in the decisive second term to play a pivotal role in ending the contest quickly, and while Aliir was sloppy at times, he provided a huge presence in defence with nine intercepts and 14 disposals.

Meanwhile, Travis Boak picked up where he left off from his career-best season last year, setting up the victory with a devastating first half which saw him register 21 disposals (10 contested), seven clearances, nine score involvements, three tackles and a goal.

Travis Boak all but sewed up the three votes with a scintillating display against North Melbourne. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

North started full of beans with their ferocity and pressure really troubling the Power, but the hosts weren’t able to capitalise on their early dominance due to their inefficiency up forward and Port Adelaide made them pay a hefty price after quarter-time, piling on 10 of the next 11 goals to open up a 52-point lead early in the third period.

The gulf in class between the two sides quickly became apparent, as the Power’s silky skills and polished transition footy allowed them to slice their way through the middle of the ground like a hot knife through butter, rendering North’s midfield unit powerless.

FANTASTIC FANTASIA

The pick of Fantasia’s four goals came late in the second quarter when the former Bomber collected the loose ball at half-forward, lost his direct opponent Jack Ziebell and feigned a handball to teammate Ollie Wines which allowed him to dodge Aidan Corr, run to 40m out and effortlessly split the big sticks to put the Power 34 points up.

What a debut in your new colours 🙌

Orazio has four! #AFLNorthPowerpic.twitter.com/r1NmMSa2AW

— AFL (@AFL) March 21, 2021

SUPER START FOR STEPHENSON

Jaidyn Stephenson was one Kangaroo who could hold his head high in his first game for North Melbourne.

The former Magpie was very busy in the midfield, racking up a game-high 33 disposals (which was also a career-high), five clearances, seven score involvements and laying seven tackles, showing he has a lot more to his game than just being a goalsneak.

But Stephenson would’ve liked his time over again early in the second quarter when he had the chance to put the Kangas up by eight points, but missed a set shot to the left.

Moments later, Zak Butters crumbed a contest superbly down the other end, before dribbling it through brilliantly from the boundary.

Given the sizeable final margin, it probably wouldn’t have made a difference in the end, but momentum is a huge factor in footy, and North were enjoying the run of play at the time.

Jaidyn Stephenson in action against the Power. Picture: Michael Klein

ZAK BUTTERS UP LADHAMS’ MESS

Peter Ladhams’ set shot from 40m out late in the third quarter was an absolute shank, but little Zak Butters read the flight of the ball brilliantly and charged at it with force to outmark North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein and former Port Adelaide wingman Jared Polec at the top of the goalsquare.

He capped off his mark-of-the-day nomination with a converted set shot for goal.

SCOREBOARD

KANGAROOS 2.4 3.6 5.8 9.11 (65)

POWER 2.2 10.4 14.8 17.15 (117)

LERNER’S BEST

Kangaroos: Stephenson, McKay, Corr, Thomas, Ziebell.

Power: Boak, Fantasia, Houston, Burton, Motlop, Wines, Aliir.

GOALS

Kangaroos: Scott 2, Thomas 2, Powell, Davies-Uniacke, Walker, Goldstein, Mahony. Power: Fantasia 4, Dixon 2, Marshall 2, Boak 2, Butters 2, Amon, Bonner, Lycett, Motlop, Duursma.

INJURIES

Kangaroos: Corr (toe), Taylor (head knock).

Power: Bonner (hamstring).

REPORTS

Kayne Turner (North) for sling-tackling Xavier Duursma (Port Adelaide).

UMPIRES

Haussen, Nicholls, Howorth

VENUE

Marvel Stadium

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

LERNER’S VOTES

3 T.Boak (PA)

2 O.Fantasia (PA)

1 J.Stephenson (NM)