Port Adelaide beats Carlton in Justin Westhoff’s 250th game as Jack Watts suffers serious ankle injury
The troubled times of Jack Watts have taken another turn with fears the talented Port Adelaide utility has suffered a serious ankle injury in a win over Carlton.
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The troubled times of Jack Watts have taken another turn with fears the talented Port Adelaide utility has suffered a serious ankle injury against Carlton at Adelaide Oval.
Watts, who was rocked by off-season social media scandals, was widely applauded after his performance from the backline in Port Adelaide’s Round 1 win against Melbourne.
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LOWDOWN PODCAST: JONAS PRAISES JACK WATTS
He had put his troubles behind him, been on a health farm to clear both his head and his body and the move to the backline looked like an inspired one.
But as he dashed from the backline — not aware of his would-be tackler Dale Thomas — his new and improved world met another challenge.
As Thomas caught him and dragged him down in a tackle, it looked like all of his body weight landed on Watts’ ankle and replays showed Watts was in serious pain immediately.
He was taken off the ground of a stretcher, still visibly uncomfortable, and you had to just ask: when are things going to turn for Jack Watts.
He was famously taken at No. 1 by Melbourne in the national draft and endured a decade of people asking out loud if he was the biggest disappointment out of those taken at that lofty position in recent memory.
The Demons, who believed he needed a fresh start elsewhere and wanted to trade, are understood to still pay part of his salary as part of the deal made with the Power.
He wasn’t the only injury to come out of the match as the players struggled in the rain.
Karl Amon’s night finished early and he was on the bench with an ice pack around his knee and his jacket on making it clear that he would take no further part in the game.
But he looked reasonably pragmatic as he watched his teammates from the bench while Watts’ injury was one of those that is likely to be replayed over and over on the weekend’s football shows.
Watts’ injury overshadowed a couple of significant things.
One was that it was an ex-captain’s night, with former skipper Travis Boak and ex-Brisbane captain Tom Rockliff playing big games.
With new co-captain Ollie Wines on the sidelines with the shoulder injury he sustained in a water skiing accident, having that pair back and at the dominant level at which they made their names is invaluable for Port Adelaide.
Jack Watts was taken off the field on the stretcher after this tackle from Dale Thomas.#AFLPowerBlues pic.twitter.com/6PGtUa9CeK
— AFL (@AFL) March 30, 2019
There is something about a former captain that doesn’t leave them; not only the ability to direct and lead which they did in their previous role, but a presence that can be felt both by their teammates and opponents.
Carlton gave the Power a fright because they were lively and moved the ball quickly and well early and then when the rain started to fall they were quicker to adjust.
Boak and Rockliff were crucial in steadying the ship.
The night was also a nice reward for veteran Justin Westhoff, who finally got to celebrate a win in a milestone game.
His 250th had been preceded with losses in all of his previous milestone games.
ROSEY ROZEE
Connor Rozee was Port prized No.5 pick in the 2018 national draft and showed why Adelaide was desperate to snare the elite youngster. Five of Rozee’s first eight touches resulted in scores while back to back second term goals sparked Port’s stampede against the Blues. Rozee is considered a young Robbie Gray at Alberton and is living up to the hype. Rozee was swamped by teammates after marking and slotting his first AFL goal. The North Adelaide product’s second goal from 50 metres had all the composure of an established star rather than rookie.
THE GOV
Mitch McGovern left Adelaide citing unhappiness. It took until five minutes into the third term for McGovern to impact, finding space inside 50 to set up Paddy Dow’s first goal. Carlton hadn’t scored a goal since the 27 minute mark of the first term. If Carlton is stop the unanswered goal rampages of rivals then it is more experienced, big money men like McGovern need to stand up. McGovern did. He levelled the scores with a 50 metre set shot then got on the end of a hot Cameron Polson handpass for a snap goal. Poulson’s endeavour was rewarded with an opportunist goal that put the Blues ahead entering time on in the third term.
CHALK AND CHEESE
The Blues ambushed Port with a nine touch Cripps first term the basis of a six point quarter time lead. Harry McKay booted two goals while shelling one for Sam Petrevski-Seton. McKay is mobile, solid overhead — everything you want in a spearhead.
The clinical build ups and inside delivery that punctuated Carlton’s first term dissolved as Port turned the table with a game changing second term. Port dominated inside 50s 17-8, clearances 10-4 and booted 4.3 to 0.2 for a 19-point half time lead.
Mitch McGovern headlined a 4.1 third term for the Blues with rookie Zak Butters left to conjure the Power’s only reply for three-point lead at the final change. Impressive rookie Butters would provide the crucial assist for Steve Motlop’s (3) two sealers in four-goal final term. Brad Ebert (3) had nullifed creative Carlton veteran Kade Simpson as the designated defensive forward but was Port’s equal most productive scoring avenue .
SCOREBOARD
PORT ADELAIDE 13.10 (88)
CARLTON 11.6 (72)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Ebert 3, Motlop 3, Rozee 2, Powell-Pepper 2, R Gray, Lycett, Butters
Carlton: McKay 2, McGovern 2, Setterfield, Petrevski, Seton, Curnow, Polson, Fasolo
RICHARD EARLE’S BEST
Port Adelaide: Lycett, Rockliff, Boak, Ebert, Clurey, Rozee, Butters, Gray
Carlton: Cripps, McKay, Walsh, Petrevski-Seton, Newman, Dow
RICHARD EARLE’S VOTES
3: Scott Lycett
2: Tom Rockliff
1: Patrick Cripps
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Amon (leg), Watts (ankle)
Carlton: Curnow (knee)
Umpires: M Stevic, D Harris, L Haussen
Crowd: 41,552 at Adelaide Oval
The Hoff is in the house! #Hoff250 pic.twitter.com/RwUZ4BBaIO
— Port Adelaide FC (@PAFC) March 30, 2019
QUARTER-BY-QUARTER
QUARTER TIME
Power 4.2 (26)
Blues 5.2 (32)
Confirmed that Karl Amon will sit out the remainder of the game with a knee issue. #AFLPowerBlues
— Port Adelaide FC (@PAFC) March 30, 2019
IT was all about speed in the first quarter — and Carlton had more of it than Port Adelaide. They got the ball out of the middle quickly, much through the fine work of Patrick Cripps, and Charlie and Ed Curnow both kicked first-quarter goals.
It was on; a full-blown attacking game which also included a nice goal from Port’s Sam Powell-Pepper, but the Blues looked livelier in the formative stages of the match.
HALF TIME
Power 8.5 (53)
Blues 5.4 (34)
HT stats 📉#AFLPowerBlues pic.twitter.com/subJIM5zVp
— Port Adelaide FC (@PAFC) March 30, 2019
It was always on the cards: the Power took control after Carlton’s early run and not only had more of the ball, more composure and more attacking forays — the Blues’ run also seemed to dry up.
Top-order draft pick Connor Rozee kicked his first couple of the AFL goals and was a lively target in front of the ball while old heads Tom Rockliff, Travis Boak, Robbie Gray and Paddy Ryder took control of the game.
THREE-QUARTER TIME
Power 9.8 (62)
Blues 9.5 (59)
So much for the Power looking like it was going to kick clear and make light work at Carlton at Adelaide Oval.
As the rain changed conditions, Carlton adjusted better to play simpler and better football and its ability to gain territory when the Power were trying to finesse meant the Blues hit the front late in the term before Port Adelaide steadied. Mitch McGovern was a treat to watch with his goals for Carlton.
Wattsy looks to be in some trouble after a tackle - play has stopped as he's stretchered off. #AFLPowerBlues
— Port Adelaide FC (@PAFC) March 30, 2019
FULL TIME
Power 13.9 (88)
Blues 11.6 (72)
After a serious ankle injury to Port’s Jack Watts early in the final term, play stopped for several minutes. The Power was quickest to regain momentum after the break and Steven Motlop booted two quick goals to steady the Power and help it to consecutive wins to start the season and finally a victory for Justin Westhoff in a milestone game — his 200th.
PORT ADELAIDE V CARLTON
Saturday, March 30, 4.40pm,
Adelaide Oval
TV: Channel 7, Fox Footy
STREAM LIVE: Kayo
RADIO: TripleM, ABC891, FIVEaa
WEATHER: Possible shower, max 18C
TEAMS
POWER
B: Riley Bonner, Tom Clurey, Dan Houston
HB: Ryan Burton, Tom Jonas, Darcy Byrne-Jones
C: Steven Motlop, Tom Rockliff, Justin Westhoff
HF: Travis Boak, Jack Watts, Brad Ebert
F: Robbie Gray, Paddy Ryder, Connor Rozee
R: Scott Lycett, Sam Powell-Pepper, Willem Drew
I/C: Karl Amon, Xavier Duursma, Zak Butters, Todd Marshall
NO CHANGE
Emerg: Sam Mayes, Aidyn Johnson, Kane Farrell, Dougal Howard
BLUES
B: Kade Simpson, Liam Jones, Dale Thomas
HB: Jacob Weitering, Lachie Plowman, Nic Newman
C: Marc Murphy, Patrick Cripps, Zac Fisher
HF: Ed Curnow, Mitch McGovern, Sam Walsh
F: Alex Fasolo, Harry McKay, Charlie Curnow
R: Andrew Phillips, Paddy Dow, Will Setterfield
I/C: Jarrod Garlett, Michael Gibbons, Cameron Polson, Sam Petrevski-Seton
IN: Cameron Polson
OUT: David Cuningham
Emerg: Angus Schumacher, Lochie O’Brien, Levi Casboult, Jack Silvagni
Track watch: Port bull passes big test, JHF sizzles
Rory Atkins on kick-in duty, the SSP midfield audition and Sam Powell-Pepper ticking off a major milestone in his comeback – there was plenty happening at Alberton on Friday.
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