AFL 2021: Port Adelaide blown away in Round 3 after West Coast’s first-half blitz

As if it wasn’t already, but the preliminary final rematch between Port Adelaide and Richmond is now a significant crunch match after the Power were caught napping in the west.

Matt Turner and Brad Elborough

6 min read

April 4, 2021 - 10:38AM

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Ken Hinkley is not disappointed that Port Adelaide has to face up against Richmond at Adelaide Oval on Friday night, despite the poor performance the Power put up in Perth.

West Coast dominated the game against Port at Optus Stadium, opening up a 52-point lead at half-time before claiming an impressive 37-point victory.

And when when you’re not in your best form, the last think many coaches would want to do is face up against the best side in the competition.

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But Hinkley welcomes the challenge of facing the Tigers next, even after his own side produced one of their poorest halves of football in some time.

“Somewhat, the bonus is you’re playing Richmond, because they’ve been the premiers three of the last four years,” he said.

“There’s no bigger game that you want to play well in and test yourself in.

“We failed tonight. We don’t want to fail twice.”

Ken Hinkley admits his team definitely doesn’t want to lose to Richmond and make it two consecutive defeats. Picture: Getty Images

The last time Port Adelaide lost consecutive games was between rounds 17 and 19 of 2019 when they lost to Brisbane (by 48 points), Richmond (38) and Greater Western Sydney (1).

Richmond did lose two games on the trot last season, following a 32-point loss to Hawthorn in Round 3, with a 26-point defeat at the hands of St Kilda in Round 4.

And while their performance at Optus Stadium will be criticised heavily this week, especially their first half, the Power coach says he liked what he saw after the main break.

“They were certainly better after half-time, but they couldn’t have gotten any worse,” Hinkley said.

“They lifted their effort around the ball, which resulted in scoring opportunities.”

Meanwhile, West Coast would have quickly started preparing for another extended period of time without captain Luke Shuey.

In his return game from a hamstring injury, Shuey limped from the ground late in the fourth quarter with the same complaint.

Even on managed game time, he impacted the contest more than any other player; and more than any Eagle midfielder had in the opening rounds of the season.

With Elliot Yeo still at least five weeks away from a return (probably longer), Shuey’s setback leaves a massive hole in the Eagles midfield that needs to be filled.

Adam Simpson addresses his players at three-quarter time. Picture: Getty Images

Hamstrings have been a recurring issue for the 30-year-old over the past 12 months.

The blow was not lost on coach Adam Simpson after the 37-point win over Port on Saturday night.

“That was the sour part of the night I suppose,” Simpson said.

“I think all of our leaders have really stood up over a number of years, but Luke’s awareness and game awareness around the ball and stoppages and organisation, that’s probably what we don’t see.

“We saw 26 or 27 touches in 60 minutes, but what he did from an organisational point of view is what we missed last week (against the Bulldogs), so we need people to stand up when he’s not there.”

The club is hopeful that Shuey will miss only three games — against St Kilda, Collingwood and Geelong — but continued hamstring issues may force the Eagles to look beyond regular rehabilitation methods.

PORT CAUGHT NAPPING IN FIRST-HALF AMBUSH

It was the first-half blitz Port Adelaide did not see coming.

One that Power premiership captain Warren Tredrea called embarrassing.

The Power went into Perth confident it could get a win against West Coast on Saturday night, but it was out of the contest by the main break when it trailed by 52 points.

It was the biggest first-half deficit Port Adelaide had faced since its horror 86-point loss to North Melbourne in Round 22, 2019.

Key statistical categories at half-time on Saturday night made for awful reading for the Power.

Port Adelaide was down 46 in disposals (213-167), 13 in inside 50s (32-19), 10 in clearances (23-13) and was kicking at a woeful 26.3 per cent going inside 50.

West Coast booted the first four goals of the game, including three within the opening six minutes, as the Power was shell-shocked early.

At the time the Eagles’ third major, the Power had combined for a total of only four kicks.

Port Adelaide never recovered from West Coast’s first-half blitz. Picture: Will Russell/AFL Photos

With the ground greasy due to pre-match rain, Port Adelaide players struggled to be clean with the footy, dropping basic marks and fumbling ground balls.

Power players losing their footing was also a common occurrence.

Hamish Hartlett summed that up when he slipped as he kicked, trying to clear the ball on the last line of defence and coughed up the footy, leading to a West Coast major.

The Eagles led 5.4 to 1.1 at quarter-time and it did not get any better for the visitors during the second quarter.

In that term, the hosts booted 5.3 to the Power’s 1.2.

Another moment that encapsulated Port Adelaide’s night came when Ryan Burton took an intercept mark in the dying seconds of the second quarter, went to pump the ball back inside 50 and hardly made contact with his left foot, as it trickled just metres away.

Tredrea tweeted at the long break: “West Coast too tough, desperate, ruthless, disciplined etc etc – Port embarrassing”.

West Coast too tough, desperate, ruthless, disciplined etc etc - Port embarrassing ðŸ˜³
— Warren Tredrea (@warrentredrea) April 3, 2021

Bit of a reality check for Port.

West Coast was +54 in marks, + 14 in clearances, +17 in inside 50s, +61 in disposals.

After 2 comfortable wins against 2020 non-finalists, Port couldn't match defensive intensity + pressure of 1st big test.

Tigers await.#AFL #AFLEaglesPower
— Matt Turner (@mattturner1986) April 3, 2021

This is actually embarrassing from Port Adelaide. Arenâ€™t they supposedly a flag contender? Long way off the mark based on this performance #AFLEaglesPower
— Ronny Lerner (@RonnyLerner) April 3, 2021

The Power entered the game off the back of comfortable wins over two of last season’s bottom six, North Melbourne and Essendon.

But the intensity and defensive pressure the Eagles came with on Saturday night was far superior, and Port Adelaide could not match it.

The external selection theme coming into the game was could Todd Marshall and Mitch Georgiades line up together?

Heading into a crunch clash — and preliminary final rematch — with reigning premier Richmond on Friday night, the main question will be: which Power players will lose their spot after that performance against the Eagles?

But the Tigers have concerns of their own after Saturday afternoon’s surprise loss to the Swans, making the Round 4 clash even more intriguing.

West Coast forwards Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling were dominant against Port Adelaide on Saturday night. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos

EAGLES’ FORWARD RICHES

Port was completely outplayed by West Coast at Optus Stadium and, while the result wouldn’t have shocked everyone, the 37-point margin and the in ease in which the Eagles set it up, must have. The final margin actually flattered Ken Hinkley’s side.

While the Power struggled to find goals, particularly in the opening half, the Eagles had no such problems.

Tall forwards Josh Kennedy (four goals), Jack Darling and Oscar Allen all, again, hit the scoreboard, with eight between them, while Liam Ryan and Jamie Cripps also booted two apiece.

Nine of Port’s goals came after half-time, when the game was already out of their reach.

This Eagles forward line must be in the conversation as the best in the competition.

Luke Shuey hurt his hamstring again on Saturday night. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

CAPTAIN’S SHORT RETURN

Luke Shuey set the tone for the Eagles early, the skipper playing his first game of the year after suffering a hamstring injury in the pre-season.

He had 10 touches in the first term and, along with Josh Rotham, Andrew Gaff and Tim Kelly, dominated possession for the home side in the midfield.

But Shuey will miss more weeks after appearing to niggle his hamstring with only nine minutes left in the game. It was his fifth hamstring injury in just over a season of football.

He was replaced by medical sub Zac Langdon.

Xavier Duursma, Ryan Burton and Dan Houston led the ball-winners list for the Power early, but most of those touches were in their defensive half of the ground.

Shuey’s return seemed to help Andrew Gaff find some form too.

Gaff had just 16 touches in each of first two rounds, but had 20 in the first half against Port on his way to 36.

RYAN FLYIN’ AGAIN

The only time you’ll see a Port Adelaide player appear in the highlight reel of the opening half was in the replay of Liam Ryan’s latest candidate for mark of the year.

Early in the second term, Ryan climbed early onto the head of Port’s Darcy Byrne-Jones and waited there for a couple of seconds before completing the spectacular grab.

SEE THE MARK IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ABOVE

The Eagles star missed the snap shot at goal, but Dom Sheed kicked the Eagles sixth goal a minute later.

That was the first of five goals the Eagles kicked in the second term as they opened up a 52-point lead at half-time.

At the main break, 12 Port players had only six touches, or fewer. Crucially, included in that lot were important playmakers Ollie Wines, Orazio Fantastia, Robbie Grey, Charlie Dixon and Connor Rozee.