AFL round 7: Matt Turner analyses Port Adelaide vs North Melbourne

Some pivotal defensive efforts got the Power over the line against the Kangaroos on Saturday. Matt Turner pinpoints the numbers that exposes the difference between the two clubs.

Ken Hinkley was asked what a moment like Willem Drew’s rundown tackle on North Melbourne captain Jy Simpkin in the fourth quarter on Saturday did for teams.

“What it does is it gets you four points,” Hinkley said after Port Adelaide’s nine-point home triumph.

“That’s the amount of effort you need to bring to get four points.

“It just goes to show you, you have to bring that all day to get away with a really tight win against a young, up-and-coming team.

“Be willing to do it, otherwise you won’t win.”

Drew is known for his two-way running, workrate and team-first behaviours.

Twelve months ago, he received the Peter Badcoe VC Medal, awarded to the player in Port’s Anzac round match that best displayed skill, courage in adversity, self-sacrifice and teamwork.

So it was hardly a shock to see him charge 20m after Simpkin and win the ball back, just outside the Kangaroos’ attacking 50.

Willem Drew clashes with two Kangaroos. Picture: Getty Images

At the time, the visitors were trailing by eight points with 12 minutes remaining.

Port Adelaide needed those types of acts to get over the line because it lost control of clearances through the middle of the game, shanked kicks, missed two of the easiest set shots you might see all year and became undisciplined in giving away four goals via 50m penalties.

SPP's horror miss

And one-win North Melbourne, determined to respond to its Good Friday horrorshow, sniffed an upset.

The Drew passage exemplified what the Power did well, even when things went against them during the scrappy, surprisingly close encounter.

Its pressure was superb.

Even when the Kangaroos outscored them five goals to two in the second term, the hosts’ pressure rating was 207.

Port won the tackle count 83-55.

It averages 57.1 this season.

Saturday’s Badcoe Medallist, Zak Butters, had 13.

Drew had 11, while Jackson Mead (seven), sixth-gamer Christian Moraes (six) and ruckman Jordon Sweet (six) were not far behind.

Sam Powell-Pepper’s tackle on Luke Davies-Uniacke that led to a Jeremy Finlayson goal in the third term and Aliir Aliir’s holding-the-ball winning effort on Colby McKercher that resulted in an Ollie Lord major with six minutes left were also notable.

Ollie Lord celebrates a goal with Sam Powell-Pepper. Picture: Getty Images

Drew told The Advertiser: “They’re the efforts you’ve just got to put in, whether it’s the last quarter or the first quarter. It should be non-negotiable for us. We absolutely love that as a team. It’s really valued.”

Instead of a shock loss undoing its strong work in recovering from a 1-3 start to beat a red-hot Hawthorn and Sydney at the SCG, Port gritted to victory.

Drew acknowledged there was plenty the team would need to review from the narrow win, but was very pleased about the momentum that it was building.

“We were under the pump early in the season,” Drew said.

“We’ve won in different ways, which was pleasing, and our season’s back on track.”

Connor Rozee launches a long goal

The Power’s winning experience in close games – and the Kangaroos’ lack of victories in those situations – showed at times.

Port is now 15-4 in matches decided by 12 points or fewer since the start of 2023.

North Melbourne is 4-9.

The Roos just could not get a goal in the last term that would have brought the margin under six points to put Port under enormous pressure.

And the Power was able to get marks inside 50, just when it needed, such as Lord’s in the closing minutes.

Port ranked second in the AFL in that statistic coming into the match and finished with 15 to North’s 11.

The Power’s next challenge will be another side on a roll, the Western Bulldogs, in Ballarat.

Then comes the Showdown, Geelong at home and Fremantle away, before Port’s bye.

Originally published as AFL round 7: Matt Turner analyses Port Adelaide vs North Melbourne