Port Adelaide defender Kane Farrell reveals the two words driving the Power after incredible win over Essendon
Everyone talks about Connor Rozee and Zak Butters, and Miles Bergman has taken the spotlight in defence. After Saturday night, there’s another player we should be talking about.
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Essendon arguably played Port Adelaide as well as a team could have.
And the Power at times looked like they were just a touch below the dominant outfit they have been in recent weeks.
But this Power side just keeps finding ways to win as this incredible winning run hit the 12-match mark.
No wonder Ken Hinkley had a smirk on his face as Dan Houston prepared for what was his game-winning goal after the siren to crush the hearts of the Bombers at the MCG on Saturday night.
Collingwood might be the kings of the close game, but the Power aren’t too bad themselves when it comes to finding themselves on the right side of a thriller.
The four-point win over the Bombers was the fourth time this season that the Power have won a game after going into the final quarter down on the scoreboard.
Two of these have been decided after the siren, Aliir Aliir’s goal and game saving effort in Round 4 against Sydney at the SCG and now Houston giving Essendon one hell of a problem at the MCG.
So why are the Power so good when the going gets tight?
According to Power players after the win over the Bombers, a big part of this is down to two words - belief and confidence.
“That is what we have been working on this year, our belief and confidence and to be up by three goals in that last quarter and then being behind with a minute to go and still get it done shows where we are at as a football club,” Power defender Kane Farrell told this masthead.
“The belief and confidence throughout the whole group is just through the roof at the moment.
“Just coming back to that belief and confidence in the whole group to know when we are in those situations what our roles are and what we need to do for the team and everyone knows what they need to do and get their job done puts us in good stead for those close ones.”
The Power also had to make some changes.
While Hinkley’s side was dominant for most of the match, when it came to clearances the Bombers found a way to hurt the Power.
Despite getting outgunned at the clearances the Bombers - led by gun midfielders Zach Merrett and Darcy Parish - were able to get on top of the Power when it came to contested ball.
And because the Power pressure so much to try and win the ball back, and their defenders like to push up so much, they can leave space that can be taken advantage of.
At times on Saturday night the Power were also their own worst enemy.
Kicks that would have found a target in recent weeks didn’t, on multiple occasions a Power player tried to be too clever after taking a mark and coughed up an opportunity to have a shot.
But when they needed to, Power players stood up.
Connor Rozee had 23 disposals and every one of them had an impact, while his goal in the last quarter was a fine effort.
Sam Powell-Pepper only had three disposals in the fourth quarter but he played a key role in the Power regaining ascendancy.
Hinkley deployed the bull at stoppages in an attempt to get the Power an out-number.
In the wet weather, territory was key.
“It went from kind of dry to really wet in that second half and we just needed some bigger bodies there to get the ball forward in any form,” Farrell said.
“So to have Pepp in there it kind of helped us to get back to where we were and helped us win the match.”
And then there was when Farrell stood up.
While he is known for his booming left boot, Farrell showed that he has plenty of guts with a courageous mark in the fourth quarter.
Soon after the Power kicked a couple of goals to look like they had the game sewn up, before Essendon’s late comeback.
Rozee was all praise for Farrell for his effort.
“It was a big moment not only in the game but for Kane,” he said on Fox Footy.
“He has been building over a couple of years and he has become a really important part of our backline.
“He is damaging and he can stand under a ball as well.”
Farrell himself said he hoped that lifted a teammate or two.
“It is just a thing we have to do as a back, you have to put your body on the line and go for those tough marks. It was nice to just hold onto something like that because it goes a long way with all the belief the boys build too,” he said.
“It is not only your own game, you are looking at other boys’ games to get yourself going. So hopefully I was able to get a few other boys going.”
The 24-year-old is on track for his best ever season at the Power, back in defence where he feels extremely comfortable after coming into the side initially as a half-forward and then with some time on the wing.
“It’s funny everyone has talked about that. I was actually a defender the whole way through juniors right until I was drafted,” he said.
“So it is winding back the clock a bit and I feel more comfortable down there and my knowledge of the role is a lot higher than it was when I came into the team as a forward.”
SOME DEBUT FOR DANTE
While he ended up being subbed out of the game, Dante Visentini won’t forget his first AFL game in a hurry.
The young ruckman, who is rated very highly at Alberton, was a late inclusion for Scott Lycett for the clash at the MCG.
So late of an inclusion was Visentini that it caught him and the Power social media team out.
Confusion reigned in the opening minutes of the clash on Saturday night when Jeremy Finlayson contested the first ruck contest for the Power.
Lycett had ran out with the Power but then tweaked his knee in the final warm-up.
This change came so late that Visentini wasn’t strapped for the opening minutes of the match.
But post game Rozee revealed that Visentini had previously been ready to go, before he believed he wouldn’t be called upon.
“It is one of the more unique first games, he actually strapped up in the rooms pre-game,” Rozee said.
“He was going to play and then Scott changed his mind, and Dante was in the coaches box upstairs with all his strapping off.
“It won’t be one he forgets.”
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