AFL round 11: Port Adelaide young gun Peter Ladhams kicks ‘one of the goals of the year’

As the Sherrin sailed between the posts at Adelaide Oval, Eddie McGuire immediately labelled it “one of the goals of the year”.

As the Sherrin sailed between the posts at Adelaide Oval, Eddie McGuire immediately labelled it “one of the goals of the year”.

It didn’t take long for Port Adelaide to get on the scoreboard during Saturday’s clash against the Richmond Tigers, with young gun Peter Ladhams pulling off an “impossible” goal at Adelaide Oval.

Less than 60 seconds after the first bounce of the round 11 clash, Ladhams received a sloppy handball from full forward Cam Sutcliffe, who did well to dispose of the footy with four defenders swarming him inside 50.

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When the 22-year-old got his hands on the Sherrin, he found himself on the boundary five metres from the posts, with countless players in the middle.

But Ladhams — who typically plays as ruckman — pulled off a classy banana kick on the outside of his left boot, and despite the unfathomable angle, scored the opening major of the day.

The home crowd went berserk, as did Collingwood president Eddie McGuire in the commentary box.

“He kicked one last week, he’s playing as a forward this week, and he’s kicked one of the goals of the year,” McGuire cried on Fox Footy.

Former Port Adelaide player Dwayne Russell conceded he did not expect Ladhams to execute the checkside goal.

“I’m going to be brutally honest — when he started to shape to kick the banana from there I’m thinking, ‘Keep it simple, just square the ball back into the middle, because this is nigh on impossible,” Russell said.

“We’re talking about a young ruckman here who’s not exactly as light on his feet as some of the other small forwards.

“He had numbers in the middle everywhere, so I’m glad he kicked it.

“What a finish — if that doesn’t get him, his teammates and crowd excited, nothing will.”

Peter Ladhams celebrates with his teammates.

AFL LIVE SCORES: Round 11 match centres

St Kilda great Nick Riewoldt responded: “When you get two of the in-form teams in the competition shaping up against each other, you hope for a good game.

“If you’ve got a ruckman kicking bananas from the boundary in the first minute, surely everyone else is going to come to the party and put on a show for us.”

Three-time All-Australian Nick Dal Santo cheekily told AFL Nation: “Somebody from Port Adelaide needs to show some leadership and tell Ladhams that he should not be doing opposite foot banana kicks from the boundary.

“Peter Ladhams is my new favourite player — Charlie Dixon is now the decoy.”

AAP sports journalist Shayne Hope tweeted: “Ladhams just kicked goal of the round in the first minute, I think. What round are we in?”

Ladhams scored another in the second quarter, bringing his career tally to five.

With both clubs sitting in the top four of the 2020 AFL ladder, Saturday’s encounter is proving to be a must-watch blockbuster.

Port Adelaide raced to an early lead by slotting the first four majors, but the defending premiers bounced back to reduce the deficit to just seven points at quarter-time.