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Port Adelaide’s finals hopes on the line against GWS, says defender Darcy Byrne-Jones

Port Adelaide’s 2019 season hangs in the balance and defender Darcy Byrne-Jones admits victory against an in-form GWS Giants is a must this week at Adelaide Oval.

Dejected Port Adelaide players leave the MCG after their 38-point loss to Richmond on Saturday. Picture: SCOTT BARBOUR (Getty Images)
Dejected Port Adelaide players leave the MCG after their 38-point loss to Richmond on Saturday. Picture: SCOTT BARBOUR (Getty Images)

PORT Adelaide concedes it is time to draw a line in the sand.

Having lost consecutive games for the first time since rounds seven and eight and fallen a win plus percentage outside of the top eight, the Power acknowledges it has reached a fork in the road of its once-promising season and must beat GWS at home on Saturday night to play finals.

“If we lose that one it’s going to make things pretty tough for us,’’ in-form defender Darcy Byrne-Jones said after the six-goal loss to Richmond at the MCG.

“If we want to keep the ball in our court to some degree we’ve got to win next week, GWS is a massive game for us.’’

Port — battling injuries to key men Ollie Wines (thumb), Brad Ebert (knee) and Ryan Burton (hamstring), who coach Ken Hinkley has publicly already ruled out of the Giants match — has fallen off a cliff since coming from behind at half-time to thump Adelaide by 57 points in Showdown 47.

Darcy Byrne-Jones tackles Sydney Stack during the Power’s loss on Saturday.
Darcy Byrne-Jones tackles Sydney Stack during the Power’s loss on Saturday.

Its 38-point loss on Saturday to 2017 premier Richmond, which has won four consecutive games to roar back into top four calculations, followed a shock eight-goal home defeat to Brisbane.

A third straight loss looms as a killer blow to its finals hopes.

“It would make it tough to make it (finals) from there, so we know what’s at stake,’’ said Byrne-Jones.

“GWS are a pretty strong side but we’ve just got to come out next week and focus on bringing our best footy because we know when we do that we can match it with anyone.’’

The sixth-placed Giants, missing star midfielders Josh Kelly and Stephen Coniglio through injury, roared back into top form with a 47-point thumping of fellow top-four aspirant Collingwood at home on Saturday following an eight-goal to one first quarter sparked by ace full forward Jeremy Cameron, who bagged six majors.

Byrne-Jones, who is in the best form of his career, had another strong game against the Tigers with 29 disposals.

The Power leave the field after losing to Richmond on Saturday.
The Power leave the field after losing to Richmond on Saturday.

But too many of his teammates appear to have hit a late-season wall, while injuries to Wines, Ebert and Burton have hurt.

Byrne-Jones said Port must find a way to rediscover its best form more regularly, having ridden the rollercoaster this season and not won back-to-back matches since rounds five and six.

“We’ve just got to believe in ourselves because we know that our best footy is good enough, which is why we've beaten Geelong, West Coast and the Crows,’’ he said.

“We can take confidence out of that and hopefully come out next week and play to the capability we know we can.

“We play well at Adelaide Oval and want to play finals, so this is a game we must take care of.’’

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Original URL: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/teams/port-adelaide/port-adelaides-finals-hopes-on-the-line-against-gws-says-defender-darcy-byrnejones/news-story/f32deeaec68e5300207ae8cd829f57e7