Port Adelaide Power on target and on song in confidence-building AFL win over West Coast Eagles

PORT Adelaide’s goalkicking has caused it plenty of pain — so a 4.0 start against West Coast — and its respectable final tally of 18.12 provide a great sign for the rest of the season, says Reece Homfray.

Ollie Wines celebrates his vital first goal against West Coast. Picture: Paul Kane (Getty Images)

• Match report: Power makes its point
• Hinkley hails important win
• Bone rates the Port players
• Win provides ‘significant’ belief: Ryder

PORT Adelaide faced several moments of truth against West Coast yesterday but the first and arguably most important came exactly three minutes and six seconds into the game.

Ollie Wines found space inside 50m and had the first set-shot of the game from 40m out on an angle.

It was hardly a kick to win the game but given the major thorn in the Power’s side this season has been its shocking goal kicking, Wines’ kick would set the tone for the rest of the day.

The same way the yips can breed the yips, good kicking instils confidence and momentum and Wines stepped up to the plate and delivered.

Just last week he had an important set shot from an almost identical spot against Richmond and sprayed it. But not this time.

Wines slotted the kick and Port started the game with 4.0. Compare that to 1.6 against the Tigers then look at the two results.

Port Adelaide finished with a very respectable 18.12 last night thanks to Charlie Dixon’s 5.1, Robbie Gray’s 3.1, Paddy Ryder’s 2.0 and Jackson Trengove and Justin Westhoff’s 2.1.

Crucially they also kicked their set shots when the pressure was at its greatest in the final term, especially the ice-cool Gray and backman-turned-forward Trengove, which was a major endorsement of Ken Hinkley’s decision to switch him in the off-season.

“It makes a difference in footy doesn’t it? It’s amazing what kicking the ball through the big sticks can do,” Hinkley said post-match.

“A lot of things we talk about and work on, it’s still the most underrated of all, just kicking it straight when you get your time.

“Every one of them (at training) this week and I could see them, they just spent some more time there and they knew the importance of it.

“They’ve tried really hard to get that right.”

If good kicking breeds more good kicking then a big win on the road should build even more confidence at Port Adelaide.

They’ve now beaten Sydney in Sydney, West Coast in Perth and had wins at the MCG, the Gabba and even in China.

Port might be inconsistent against top-eight teams and in front of goal but as it has shown at times when it gets it right it is very hard to beat.

And as the Western Bulldogs have shown last year, getting it spot on for just one month of football at the right time of the season can mean winning the flag.

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Originally published as Port Adelaide Power on target and on song in confidence-building AFL win over West Coast Eagles