Port Adelaide’s finals dream hinges on power of positivity as it searches for one more win to reach lucky 13 cut-off
PORT Adelaide needs to find at least one win from its remaining two games — and boost its percentage — to be sure of being on the right side of the lucky 13-win cut-off to finals amid more doom and gloom.
- Dixon’s done, Ryder on watch list
- Tight-game complext tearing Power apart
- Power’s horror day as finals hopes fade
- Shaw fears injury could end season
- Live ladder: How Cats could miss September
PORT Adelaide still holds its AFL finals destiny in its hands. But in question is the Power players’ minds after four losses in the past five games, two last-gasp losses in successive weeks and an injury toll that builds up doubt.
Defender and team leader Tom Jonas expects the collective spirit at Alberton to rise — rather than be weighed down — by the demanding challenge on Ken Hinkley’s team.
“There is a lot of confidence to come out of the way we played (at the start against West Coast and amid adversity at the end),” Jonas said after Power was left at 12-8 with Jeremy McGovern’s goal after the siren at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
“We were three down in the last quarter and hung on. Some of our ball movement was quite good; we defended a low score … so it is not all doom and gloom.”
Port Adelaide ensures a finals berth by beating Collingwood (MCG) on Saturday and Essendon (Adelaide Oval) on Friday week to finish a 14-8 count. One win — more likely against the Bombers than the Magpies — would have the Power in a logjam with as many as three rivals (Geelong, North Melbourne and Melbourne) with 13-9 records.
Percentage would decide which two of these four plays finals, most probably Melbourne and Geelong.
Two losses would put Port Adelaide in 10th spot — and leave SA with Queensland as the only mainland states without action in the national league finals series.
In the past 10 weeks the Power has lost four games — to Hawthorn, Fremantle, Adelaide and, on Saturday, West Coast — by nine points or less. These results have made the difference between a top-four finish and being caught in the scramble to an elimination final berth.
And Jonas puts the question on himself and his team-mates.
“We probably have not learned over the course of the year how to finish games off,” Jonas said. “And that has come back to bite us.”
Port Adelaide’s injury toll against the Eagles puts pressure on the Power midfield and attack.
“We will have to adjust,” Jonas said. “And we do have some good players in the wings.
“We can certainly make our own luck.”
Next month’s top-eight finals has three qualifiers — Richmond that will command first or second spot and most probably stay at the MCG for the rest of the season; West Coast and Greater Western Sydney.
Adelaide (10-10) can win its remaining two games — against North Melbourne and last-ranked Carlton — to complete a “winning” season at 12-10 but cannot expect to finish higher than 11th with its poor percentage.
The Crows on Sunday will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 1998 grand final win against the Kangaroos — and with a win help Port Adelaide.
The run home
michelangelo.rucci@news.com.au
Watch every match of every round of the 2018 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. SIGN UP NOW >