Fierce Port Adelaide stun Sydney with hard-running win at the SCG
PORT Adelaide took a giant first step in its journey out of the AFL wilderness with a hard-running, tough win over Sydney at the SCG. It was a win nobody outside the Power camp expected.
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PORT Adelaide, oh how good it is to see you again.
For two years you’ve been MIA, seemingly crippled by pressure and expectation, devoid of confidence and run.
But on Saturday night in Sydney it all came flooding back and you returned to coach Ken Hinkley like 22 prodigal sons wandering back in from the cold.
Everything and almost everyone said Port Adelaide couldn’t beat the Swans at the SCG — where the Power hadn’t won since 2006.
Port Adelaide would be facing the ire of last year’s beaten grand finalist which just happens to be the Power’s bogey side.
But Hinkley wasn’t joking on Friday when he said he rated Port’s chances and that belief obviously spread like a bushfire among the players.
Yes, it’s only Round 1 but beating Sydney in Sydney could well be the difference between the finals-or-bust pass mark the team has been given when it comes to tallying wins and losses at season’s end.
There was so much to like about the Power.
The tackling was ferocious but also smart and with intent. Jared Polec’s two in succession on Luke Parker in the first quarter set the tone and they did not let up.
Ollie Wines was Port’s best. He was into Sydney early and still cracking in when the game was on the line in the last quarter.
The debutants looked like they’ve been there for years and Sam Powell-Pepper’s two 50m goals sent supporters into a frenzy. Mark him down for the Round 1 Rising Star nomination.
The whipping boys of recent years, Polec and Hamish Hartlett, looked rejuvenated and like the players Hinkley knows they are and ruckman Paddy Ryder’s return after a year out of the game was instrumental.
After leading by four points at halftime, the question was asked of Port in the third quarter — was that the adrenaline of the start of a new season or were they fair dinkum?
Having wasted at least three fast-break inside-50s by making the wrong decision with hurried kicks, it took the composure of a 21-year-old with just 22 games to his name to take control of the game.
Karl Amon, who some may argue is in the team because Jasper Pittard and Jarman Impey are not, was streaming through the centre of the ground with nothing ahead of him and could have blazed away.
Instead, he waited, held the footy just long enough and put it in front of Darcy Byrne-Jones perfectly, with such a smart kick that the defender was able to run on to it and kick a goal to put the Power 10 points up.
Moments later Amon did it himself with a set-shot goal from outside 50m.
Ryder was huge in the middle but don’t underestimate the influence of Jackson Trengove’s game either.
His evolution from defender to ruckman to forward continued by kicking Port Adelaide’s first goal with a 30m set shot and he won 12 hit-outs and presented a target all day.
Hinkley must be so proud of his defensive unit.
Under-sized and exploited in the first half by Buddy Franklin, Sam Reid and to a lesser extent Kurt Tippett, they got back in numbers, held their nerve and won the battle. Tom Jonas and Jack Hombsch in particular were enormous.
The other thing that will warm the hearts of Power supporters is the win came in Travis Boak’s 200th game. Heralded for his leadership when the chips have been down at Alberton, for his team care and putting others first, Boak of all people deserved to celebrate his milestone in style.
Aaron Young looks determined to make sure he’s no one-season wonder with three important goals and Chad Wingard has found his early-season mojo.
On the flip side, Port won by 28 points with last year’s club champion Robbie Gray having no real impact.
Gray was nursed through most of the JLT Series with soreness then copped a knock to the head in the second quarter and had only eight disposals.
Sydney’s team was missing seven players from last year’s losing grand final to the Western Bulldogs but they are still a formidable force especially at home. Josh Kennedy, Luke Parker and Zac Jones threatened to take control of the midfield but Port stood up to the challenge.
The Power was without three first-choice players in Jasper Pittard, Nathan Krakouer and Jarman Impey, which opened the door for three debutants but good luck to Hinkley pushing anyone out after a win like that.
SCOREBOARD
PORT ADELAIDE 4.2 9.3 14.4 17.8 (110)
SYDNEY 4.3 8.5 10.6 12.10 (82)
BEST — Port Adelaide: Wines, Jonas, Ryder, Polec, Boak, Powell-Pepper, Ebert, Hombsch. Sydney: Jones, Franklin, Kennedy, Parker, Jack, Grundy.
GOALS — Port Adelaide: Young, Wingard 3, Dixon, Boak, Powell-Pepper 2, Trengove, Byrne-Jones, Amon, Polec, Hartlett. Sydney: Franklin 4, Reid 3, Robinson, Kennedy, Jones, Tippett, Jack,
UMPIRES — B. Hosking, S. Ryan, J. Mollison.
CROWD — 33,129 at SCG
reece.homfray@news.com.au
FIVE THINGS
By Chris McDermott
1. What a relief the first 30 minutes was for Power fans. Dixon and Trengove looked at home in attack. Dan Houston settled in well in defence, Sam Powell-Pepper showed more signs of a top shelf midfielder and Port’s hunger looked back. Fast forward 120 minutes and a start to a season doesn’t get much better.
2. Robbie Gray had a game to forget, proving even the best need match practice. He wasn’t alone and that’s another bonus for the Power - they can only get better.
3. Disposal was a problem for much of the game for Port and it must be fixed. Especially by foot. Too many errors hurt the Power badly and by players that should do better. It improved in the second half and the goals came much easier. Watch their foot skills with interest in 2017 , they must hold up.
4. The Power’s defence is not overly tall and against Sam Reid, Kurt Tippett and Buddy Franklin they looked in trouble early. The heavens opened in the third term and their job was made a little easier. Just!
5. The speed in Port’s game is back. Speed of ball movement and leg speed. It vanished in 2016 but was back in spades against the Swans and boy does it look good.
Originally published as Fierce Port Adelaide stun Sydney with hard-running win at the SCG
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