Port Adelaide blown away again by Essendon at Etihad Stadium
WHO said lightning doesn’t strike twice? For the second consecutive season Port Adelaide has been beaten up by a rejuvenated — and far more intense — Essendon at Etihad Stadium.
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WHO said lightning doesn’t strike twice? For the second consecutive season Port Adelaide has been beaten up by a rejuvenated — and far more intense — Essendon at Etihad Stadium.
The AFL’s last unbeaten team crashed and burned, leaving coach Ken Hinkley searching for answers, despite starting the year with three straight wins.
Responding to a week of soul-searching after an embarrassing loss to the Western Bulldogs, the Bombers restructured their line-up — moving All-Australian backman Cale Hooker back to defence — and played with greater aggressiveness as the Power’s poor recent record at the indoor venue continued.
Port’s 22-point loss — the margin flattered it — was its fifth in past six games against Essendon at Etihad.
Blown apart early, the Power somehow managed to stay in the game until early in the final quarter when a goal from defender Darcy Byrne-Jones reduced the margin to 19 points.
But every time it threatened, Essendon kicked clear.
The Bombers had led by 40 points in time-on in the third quarter after former Bulldog Jake Stringer illustrated why Essendon wanted him with a strong four-goal showing in his more customary spot in attack.
He had been trialled as a midfielder.
With Port badly missing All-Australian ruckman Paddy Ryder (Achilles tendinitis) in the ruck and forced to use defender Dougal Howard in the centre square, the Dons controlled the middle of the ground and won the ball at the source, allowing easy transition into attack.
In contrast, Port huffed and puffed all day, never finding its rhythm and making uncustomary mistakes.
Robbie Gray was outstanding with 39 disposals while Ollie Wines and Jared Polec were solid in the midfield and Tom Jonas kept Joe Daniher goalless for three quarters.
But Port had far too many players down.
Essendon, however, had good players all over the field, with All-Australian onballer Zach Merrett rediscovering his best form after being tagged out of games against Fremantle and the Bulldogs in the past two weeks.
Captain Dyson Heppell led from the front with 31 disposals and Michael Hurley was impassable at centre half-back with 15 marks.
Port admitted it was “ambushed’’ by a speedy Essendon at the same venue last year when it conceded six unanswered goals in the opening 17 minutes to quickly fall 39 points behind.
There was to be no way back from that big deficit.
The Power spoke about the need for a good start this time around but it was again slow out of the blocks.
The Bombers surprised by bowing to public opinion and returning Hooker to defence after he kicked 41 goals as a forward last season.
Last year’s Rising Star Andrew McGrath also returned to the back half after playing in the midfield in the opening three rounds.
The moves paid big dividends early, with Essendon again bursting out of the blocks.
Winning the clearances and being first to the ball at ground level, it kicked three unanswered goals in the opening eight minutes to gain the initiative.
Port’s first major didn’t come until the 17th minute when classy young key forward Todd Marshall sharked the ball at ground level and goaled with a clever checkside kick.
Stewart was causing Tom Clurey concerns with his agility and long arms and his two first-quarter majors were followed by a third three minutes into the second term.
When Stringer goaled superbly from the boundary line following a free kick, the Dons’ lead was out to 36 points.
The Power, with Robbie Gray playing a lone hand in the middle and up forward, got on top in the clearances in the second half of the quarter but missed some simple shots at goal and made far too many unforced errors.
It was only a smart Sam Gray snap shot just before the long break that kept it within striking distance.
ESSENDON 5.2 9.4 12.7 16.10 (106)
PORT 2.2 4.7 8.8 12.12 (84)
BEST
Essendon: Hurley, Heppell, Z. Merrett, Stringer, Goddard, Zaharakis, Hartley.
Port: R. Gray, Jonas, Wines, Polec, Boak.
GOALS
Essendon: Stringer 4, Stewart 3, Daniher, Myers 2, Goddard, Baguley, Fantasia, Green, McDoanld-Tipungwuti.
Port: Watts 3, Boak, Marshall, Amon, Dixon, Westhoff, S. Gray, Byrne-Jones, Rockliff, Bonner.
INJURIES
Essendon: Brown (calf) replaced in selected side by Hartley. Port: Marshall (head knock).
UMPIRES: N. Brown, M. Nicholls, J. Mollison.
CROWD — 30,900 at Etihad Stadium.
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