Port Adelaide defeats Melbourne by three points at Adelaide Oval thanks to late goal from Jay Schulz, Dom Cassisi retires a winner

PORT Adelaide held off a plucky Melbourne to scrape a three-point AFL win on Sunday and ensure their stalwart Dom Cassisi retired a winner.

Port v Melbourne AFL game at Adelaide Oval.

DOM Cassisi was given the farewell he deserved as Port Adelaide superboot Jay Schulz kicked one of the most important goals of his career yesterday.

Schulz’s ice cool 35-metre set shot from a tight angle with 1 minute, 51 seconds left on the clock saw the Power steal victory from the jaws of defeat against Melbourne to send former skipper Cassisi into retirement on a winning note.

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And the three-point win ended a miserable month for stuttering Port, which snapped a three-game losing streak to remain in top-four contention.

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Former captain Dom Cassisi hugged by current captain Travis Boak at the end of the game. Photo Sarah Reed.

In a fairytale finish to a tough game which could have gone either way, Cassisi, 31, was chaired from Adelaide Oval in the arms of matchwinner Schulz and his 2004 premiership teammate Kane Cornes alongside a guard of honour formed by Power and Demons players.

It was Cassisi’s 116th win his 228th and last game and the right way to end a career which led to current captain Travis Boak describing him as Mr Port Adelaide.

Cameron O'Shea and Matthew Broadbent with Dom Cassisi after the song. Photo Sarah Reed.

While the match ended in jubilation for Cassisi and the Power it could have been so different.

Port coughed up a five-goal lead midway through the second quarter to be headed in the third.

Chad Wingard regained the lead for the Power with a goal after the three-quarter time siren from a controversial free kick.

But two goals in a minute from Rohan Bail and best-afield Dom Tyson put Melbourne back in front with 5:56 left.

It took Schulz to ensure the popular Cassisi was farewelled in style when he outbodied Lynden Dunn in a marking contest and then cooly slotted a major from the south-eastern pocket of Adelaide Oval.

Jeremy Howe stretches for the ball. Picture Simon Cross

His fine finish followed some good build-up work from Matthew Broadbent and Kane Cornes.

Justin Westhoff then guaranteed victory by taking a strong mark in defence with 33 seconds left to halt Melbourne’s last charge.

In a match littered with bad kicking and turnovers, Cassisi’s final game - which started with him winning a typically hard-earned contested possession after 47 seconds - saw him register 14 disposals, five marks, two tackles and a goal assist.

A relieved Port coach Ken Hinkley described the victory as being appropriate for Cassisi’s last match - a good, old-fashioned, tough armwrestle.

Jay Schulz calmly slotted the match-winning goal. Picture Simon Cross

But it was far from impressive.

Melbourne - averaging just 60 points a game and having kicked a total of just nine goals in its past two matches - booted six unanswered goals from midway through the second quarter to the end of the third to give the Power an almighty scare.

Led brilliantly by captain Nathan Jones and fellow midfielder Dom Tyson, who had 63 disposals and 13 clearances between them, the Dees battled valiantly to almost pull off one of the upsets of the season.

They shut down Port’s renowned running game and their defence held firm all day with Dunn restricting Schulz to two goals and Colin Garland and Neville Jetta performing strongly.

Dom Tyson celebrates a goal. Picture Simon Cross

Only some cool heads at the end - most notably from Schulz - enabled the Power to get over the line.

“I know we didn’t play great footy but the pleasing thing for us was that we got the win - and we got it in a Dom Cassisi fashion I reckon,’’ Port coach Ken Hinkley said.

“We got back on track with tackling and contested possession. Sometimes you just have to start there and work your way back from that.’’ The Power had 19 fewer disposals than Melbourne but crucially won the two key hardball statistics - contested possessions (137-130) and tackles (89-58).

Aaron Young celebrates his crucial last-term goal. Picture Simon Cross.

Robbie Gray (five score assists) and Ollie Wines (26 disposals) were the standouts for Port while Westhoff kicked two goals, hauled in seven marks and had 21 disposals.

Brad Ebert (24 possessions) regained some form through sheer workrate, Boak worked hard to shake off the strong tag of Jordie McKenzie and Aaron Young had some nice touches in the second half, including kicking an important final-quarter goal - one of only three kicked by the home side in the second half.

Originally published as Port Adelaide defeats Melbourne by three points at Adelaide Oval thanks to late goal from Jay Schulz, Dom Cassisi retires a winner