A Port star is set for MRO scrutiny after their heavy loss to the Dogs

Port Adelaide copped a 90-point belting against the Bulldogs, with a Power star set to face scrutiny over an off-the-ball act.

Ben Cotton

3 min read

May 3, 2025 - 6:58PM

The Western Bulldogs have put the competition on notice with a 90-point statement win over Port Adelaide in Ballarat.

After a tight start to the game in windy conditions at Mars Stadium, the Dogs kicked 18 goals to the Power’s three after quarter-time in a complete domination, 20.11 (131) to 5.11 (41).

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Tim English (27 touches, 30 hit-outs, three goals, game-high 17 score involvements) was enormous and Adam Treloar (27 disposals) didn’t miss a beat in his return from injury.

The likes of Marcus Bontempelli (23 touches, three goals), Ed Richards (30 disposals, two goals) and Matthew Kennedy (26 touches) also shone through the midfield.

It marked the Dogs’ third straight victory to climb into the top four, if only momentarily, despite battling a horror injury run in the early rounds of the season.

Tim English (right) dominated for the Bulldogs. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)

The Power meanwhile had their three-game winning streak snapped, while Willie Rioli could come under scrutiny from the Match Review Officer for an off-ball hit on Bailey Dale.

Make it three straight wins — and convincing wins at that — for the Bulldogs as Luke Beveridge’s side continued its strong form.

After navigating injuries, the Jamarra Ugle-Hagan situation and Beveridge’s own uncertain future in the early rounds, the 5-3 Dogs are arguably playing as well as they have since that 2016 flag run.

So big was this victory in Ballarat that it saw the Dogs improve their percentage to 127 – third behind only Gold Coast and Collingwood.

Willie Rioli could be hearing from the MRO. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)

Beveridge is simply coaching as well as we’ve seen during his time at the Kennel and surely in line for a contract extension beyond this year.

His side clearly played the windy conditions in country Victoria better than Port Adelaide to control play and field position in Saturday afternoon’s clash.

Four-time premiership Hawk Jordan Lewis believes the Dogs “played the conditions perfectly”.

“They’ve been able to control the ball by kick mark, which Port haven’t been able to do,” he said.

“A little bit too classy.”

English, who was best-on-ground, was proud of the way his side’s “brand” adapted to the windy conditions.

“We were just trying to play our brand of football,” the star ruckman told Fox Footy post-match.

“Obviously there’s changes in the numbers game playing against the breeze and with the breeze.

“We tried to play our brand and use some short hit ups and able to get it in deep to our forwards, who provided a great contest.”

It’s frightening to consider the Dogs are only just starting to get their troops back now.

After welcoming the likes of Bontempelli and Treloar back into the fold in recent weeks, we’re starting to see Beveridge’s side at full strength.

Couple that with how well the team has been playing this year when undermanned and there’s so much potential at Whitten Oval in 2025.

Just when we were staring to gain confidence in Port Adelaide during a three-game winning streak, this feels like a big regression.

The Power were made to look second rate in Ballarat in a disappointing showing from Ken Hinkley’s 4-4 side against an opponent it was seen as equal enough to.

It’s a result that could be soured by Rioli having a potential Match Review Officer case to answer for following an off-ball hit to Dale in the third quarter.