As it happened: Fast-finishing Power overrun Dogs in the wet, unfancied Bombers stun Dees in huge uspet, Lions demolish North

Well, there you have it.

The third day of Gather Round is wrapped up by a gutsy come-from-behind win for Port Adelaide against the Western Bulldogs in front of their home fans at Adelaide Oval.

However, the story of the day, by far, is Essendon.

The Bombers caused one of the upsets of the season when they defeated premiership fancies Melbourne by 27 points in the twilight game.

At one stage the margin blew out to seven goals - it was a completely dominant performance from Essendon and might have punters rethinking their expectactions of Brad Scott’s team this year.

The result saw the Dons move up to second on the ladder heading into tomorrow’s final three games.

And in the early game today, the Brisbane Lions absolutely trounced a hapless North Melbourne outfit by 75 points.

Last week the Kangaroos were tormented by Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay who combined for 10 goals, and this week, Daniher, Hipwood and Charlie Cameron booted 13 majors between them.

Thanks for following all the action today, and be sure to check back in next week for all the Round 6 Saturday action. Good night.

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge spoke to the media after the game, here’s some of what he said...

Q: How tough is it to take that result?
A: It is tough, you know on a night when the conditions are what they are and it is a real arm wrestle. You fight your way back and you are up by a little bit, and it it means the opposition need to scrounge and fight. To kick their goals, we gave a few up too easy, and when they haven’t been easy to come back, and the opposition get on top of you in an area that you have been extremely strong in, especially the last couple of weeks, coming off stoppages and clearance games, we lowered our colours and lost the handle on it. I thought our backs held up reasonably well, considering, and we just didn’t have enough, you know, contributors as far as the scrap goes to just see it out. So, it is tough, but we have just got to suck it up and move on and refocus on what’s ahead.

Q: Do you think that moment came where it just wasn’t holding up for you anymore, particularly when they get the quick goals on the burst in the last quarter. What was changing for you there?
A: Well, we let the ball drop to the outside from stoppage, and let them trail off shoulders. It is too hard to defend. In conditions like that, any time with ball in hand was scarce, and all of a sudden they had it. So our balance and our organisation, and our control of where that ball was going to end up fell away, and they pounced and they were productive and made some changes. (Willem) Drew went to Marcus (Bontempelli) a bit more, and they subbed their ruckman out, and (Charlie) Dixon went in there and had an influence. And so, they made some good moves, and they worked for them. But ultimately, you know, we were still going well enough to have our nose in front, for it to not be a concern. But ultimately, yeah, it was that scope to chain through those situations.

Q: You conceded the last four goals.
A: The game presents you with no favours and you want to fight for everything, and while we are trying to establish, you know, a foothold on the week-to-week process of where we might be in the scheme of things, you have got to make the most of your games when you are in them, and we have let one slip. The last couple of weeks in last quarters we have been - we have been hard to play against. We fought it out. I’m not saying we didn’t tonight, it is just that Port did it better than us.

Q: Couple of years ago you made sure that Aliir didn’t influence the game but tonight you couldn’t you work the same sort of themes against him.
A: I think Aliir on paper had about four intercept marks or so. But, look, it is that kind of night where it is difficult for key forwards, and I thought Liam Jones held up the other end and was outstanding for us. It is not easy for any player to play in those conditions, but it is probably a bit more difficult for a key forward, and yeah, I mean, so that was then, this is now type situation. We have enough representation through our key forwards, in various places to be able to compete for opposition ... I thought Horne-Francis was productive in there (midfield) tonight, and Powell-Pepper buzzed around a little bit around centre forward, and I thought that was the thing that got them going and helped them come over the top of us.

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley spoke to the media after the game, here’s some of what he said...

Q: What was the most demanding for your players and where did they respond best?
A: Both teams were having a good crack. It was tough conditions, as everyone witnessed, with the amount of rain coming down earlier in the night, and that made it a really strong game, and our boys and the Dogs were at it all night and they were going pretty hard. We both had turns at different moments. Luckily enough for us at the end of the game we were really strong and tough around the footy and it swung the game back our way.

Q: It finally did rain.
A: It did. A lot, yeah.

Q: Where did you feel you had to make an adjustment because of that?
A: We just had to stay in the contest for long parts of the night and you were never going to do it easy. A couple of moments were going to be big, and balls that were marked by some people at courageous times, and finished their work. That was pretty important.

Q: What changes from three weeks ago where they disappear for 20 minutes when the game is on the line, to two weeks in a row now, fighting it out to get a result?
A: Disappear? This team doesn’t disappear. AFL footy is bloody tough. If people think they disappear, that’s unfair. That’s my point, sorry.

Q: What’s different between what happened in...
A: They keep going. They try to keep going in every game they are in. I get frustrated sometimes when you attack the team - no-one goes out there to, in your words, to try and disappear. They try and hang in as long as they can and sometimes it is tough in this game.

Q: In five weeks, you’re 3-2, after what’s been widely acknowledged as a tough start to the year, does it set you up for a good shot at the next block of the season?
A: No, because every game is different. Every contest. You have to turn up every week as best you can. I don’t think every team is going to do that for 23 rounds and then some. You have to give yourself a chance and what we have done now is give ourselves a chance to stay in the comp longer than we were last year. It is significant for us we got to this stage 3-2. I’m proud of the team.

Q: Things didn’t fall Todd Marshall’s way for the first three quarters and then he had a great 10 minutes. What was the message to him?
A: It is a message to every player. You cannot have a great game but have a great moment or two. Todd had a couple of great moments. He hung in there.

Q: Eleven touches and four or five clearances for Jason Horne-Francis in the last quarter. Vision captured you going to him at the siren. What was your message about?
A: It is same as Todd or any young player out there who had challenges. Jason Horne-Francis is 19. Some part of it annoys me about the way people treat him. It’s annoying me. He is never going to play four quarters every week. He is 19-year-old. If you were treating my 19-year-old son the way some people have treated him, I would be embarrassed by my performance if I was those people. I think it is unfair. The kid made a courageous decision to come home. Let the kid play footy. He is 19.

Q: Is that the booing?
A: I’m talking about lots of things. I’m talking about people who write stories and talk stories every week and I’m talking about the treatment they gave him at times tonight, without making a big deal of it. He is trying, he is giving it he is best. He is 19. Stop treating him like he is 28 and treat him with respect. People who put pressure on kids in this game need to have a good hard look at themselves.

Q: Has he been affected by it?
A: No, great credit to him. He just wants to play great footy. He is happy being home. Good on him.

Q: Byrne-Jones when he place forward...
A: He added desperation to the front half. Especially in conditions like tonight. I think it is really important that he adds that. McEntee, Sam Powell-Pepper, there is more than one or two of them down there. It makes it harder to escape. That helps us.

Q: Does that free him up in his approach to the footy as well. Is it a different sort of approach...
A: I suppose it probably is a little bit, because he is starting from an attacking position more than a defensive position. Same result. He gives great effort. If you give great effort, usually you end up OK.

Jason Johannisen spoke to Channel Seven after the Bulldogs’ 14-point loss...

Q: Jason, one of those games where it looked like you had so many moments.
A: Yeah, we had the momentum and couldn’t capitalise. I thought their backs held up pretty strong at times and we couldn’t capitalise, and then when they had momentum, they were able to finish inside their goal, inside their forward 50. So, it was disappointing but yeah, we move on.

Q: (Coach) Luke (Beveridge) kept you for a while afterwards. What was the essence of his message?
A: It is just that we can’t say if, what, or what could have, should have happened. We need to learn from it, see what we can improve on, and see how we can get us in better positions to win the game. Yeah, we have got to look at next week, going to Perth, and, yeah, playing against the Dockers, and coming out with a four-quarter effort.

Q: It makes it a pretty interesting couple of weekends for you. Here for Gather Round, and a team trip together. A good opportunity to get over there.
A: Yeah, we have to look at the positives. It is time to get team bonding and come together. That’s what’s special about the group, the unity. We look forward to it.

Q: Cody Weightman, first game of the year, you look at the positives. How good was he?
A: Definitely. We miss that sort of energy up forward and he provided such a great target and he is such a dangerous small forward for our team, and he was able to finish with some crucial goals.

Zak Butters spoke to Channel Seven after the game...

Q: That goal you kicked late, top five in your AFL career?
A: Most definitely. To kick that goal and seal the game was a good feeling and to see the boys get around me and knowing how important it was, it was a great night and great way to finish the night.

Q: Where does that rank in terms of wins - back-to-back Sydney and Doggies.
A: Last two weeks are some of the best wins I’ve been involved in with the club. They weren’t pretty but the boys hung in there and we got the win. No better feeling than winning like that knowing you had to really work for it.

Q: Looking over there, I can see Darcy Byrne-Jones. He thought he played a good role tonight. He copped a whack, came out tonight and played up forward and did really well.
A: Darcy is a good leader for the boys. Energy and enthusiasm around the boys is huge and he goes forward and does his role and you know you will get a contest with him. He kicks a few goals as well. He is exciting. Gets the boys up.

Q: How did you find the conditions. It was raining pretty heavily at one stage. It didn’t look like it affected you too much. You probably played to the weather. How did you feel out there?
A: Conditions were tough. Playing footy in Ballarat I’m immune to that and played in a lot of wet and windy games and that definitely helped. It was a tough game. You needed to get it forward and keep showing up and keep getting into the contest. It was tough by the boys.

Q: Give us an insight into Jason Horne-Francis. You have been together six or seven months. Not quite that long. Tell us about the individual.
A: He is going to be a special player. So competitive and he has the skill set to go with it. He comes and wants to get better every day. He works hard. With me and Connor (Rozee) and Willem Drew, we are creating a good little group and we are looking forward to building on that and he has been huge for the group.

Q: He had a massive clearance win in the last quarter and that was without your big man Scott Lycett. That’s a good effort.
A: Yeah, we were just pumping each other up and when he comes out and does that it inspires me as well. He was huge late in a couple of big moments and made the most of them. Can’t be happier for him.

Q: Quickly on Marcus Bontempelli, when you observe the really great players from an opposition standpoint, what do you see?
A: Yeah, growing up - I actually went to his first AFL game at Etihad Stadium against Carlton. I loved him growing up and watching him do his thing out there is pretty special. I said to a few boys out there during the game, I said, ‘Gee whiz, he is unbelievable’.

Q: This is while you are playing?
A: Yeah, while we are playing. He is an absolute freak.

Connor Rozee spoke to Channel Seven after the game...

Q: That was fun out there.
A: It was. It was a scrappy night, but a really strong win. Yeah, it feels like we are starting to get into a groove now, which is nice.

Q: Last two weeks, you lose by a couple of points both weeks. Then you win by a couple of points, and the world smells better.
A: Yeah, seems that way, doesn’t it? Footy is up and down and it seems like we are controlling the controllables a little bit more now. We have got a young group, so we are trying to live through the belief and confidence and another strong win in scrappy conditions, so we will take a lot out of that game.

Q: How are you as a teammate out there when Todd Marshall is having a shot at goal, you must have belief he is going to kick it it. That was clutch, those two.
A: 100 per cent. He has been great for the last year and a half now. He provides not only a classy finish, but he is a strong contester, and he has become a really reliable teammate.

Q: Tell us about the vibe coming into this game, because Gather Round has been on for a couple of days. Was there extra excitement for you.
A: Yeah, I guess we got 45,000 here tonight in pretty horrible conditions. That just shows that South Australians love their footy and it seems like they are getting out to all the games, whether they are South Australian teams or not. We love having it in South Australia and hopefully it can stay here. It seems everyone loves it and it is nice to have another home game.

Q: When you were walking over, you were speaking about Aliir. He is remarkably cool regardless of the situation.
A: 100 per cent. And he will tell you that himself. He is the fashion king, self-pronounced. So, yeah, love him as a teammate. He is probably the coolest bloke going around.

Q: Last week he had the composure to get the touch. Did you think you were done last week?
A: I was actually standing near the mark and saw the Sydney player celebrate and started walking off. So I turned around to see 20 blokes jumping on each other and I was probably the last one in.

Q: You thought you had lost for a while.
A: A roller coaster of emotions but a great win.

Q: What was the message at three-quarter time. It was a tough, hard night and you knew it wouldn’t get easier with the rain. What was Kenny’s main point at three-quarter time. You smashed them in the last quarter.
A: We have a young team and we have built confidence in the young fellas to play the way we want to play when things get tough. Early in the season we went away from that when things went against us. Not to single anyone out, Jason Horne-Francis was huge in the last quarter for us. For a young kid in his second year, he has really stood up and we are really proud of him and love him as a teammate but everyone was awesome in the last quarter.

Q: Ken, I mentioned to him flippantly, it is unbelievable how much attention turns to one guy at a football club when things aren’t going well. You fall against Sydney, if Aliir doesn’t touch and suddenly the heat gets turned up. You win a close one tonight. The overreaction is incredible.
A: It is a bit like that every year, it seems, for Kenny. It’s probably amplified a bit in South Australia because there are just two teams and he has been at the club for a long time now. We would love to get some success because he has been a massive part of not only our past, but hopefully our future going forward.

Jason Horne-Francis spoke to Channel Seven after the game...

Q: Jason, congratulations on the win. Tell us about Gather Round so far.
A: It’s been awesome to get the clubs here in Adelaide. For us boys we have enjoyed it and we have stuck to the task at hand. We came out and did what we wanted to do.

Q: What’s it been like being at home here?
A: I’ve loved every second of it. The club has supported me. I’ll be forever grateful to them and my family supported me 24/7. It’s been awesome.

Q: Now, you what did the coach say to you at three-quarter time?
A: Obviously things weren’t going my way personally but the team was playing well, and Kenny (Hinkley) told me to keep sticking at what I want to do, and that’s hunting the footy. It took a lot of persistence and thanks to Kenny and the boys, they got me through and kept my mind on what I needed to do. I really thank them. Kenny was super pumped. I thank him for support and couldn’t have done it without him.

Q: Now, you had another little boy there. You also had Zak Butters in the midfield. What’s he been like for you?
A: He has been unreal, Buttsy. He has been including me straight away and getting me in the group. He has been awesome for me coming over here, and it was amazing tonight. He has been good for my development.

Aliir Aliir spoke to Channel Seven after the game...

Q: That was a great win.
A: Yeah, we had to back up last week and we were able to do it tonight.

Q: The conditions are wet. You don’t mind the wet weather.
A: You don’t mind it as a key defender when they have three talls there. I don’t mind it. You don’t always want to play in the rain though.

Q: Gather Round, it was exciting. You saw some games before yours tonight. Is it extra nerves playing in this round?
A: It is great for South Australia, to have all the teams here. I think the guys that
watched the game earlier were able to sit down and watch the game. It’s been good, the weather, but hopefully it is a success tonight and we can do it again next year.

Todd Marshall spoke to Channel Seven after the game...

Q: Congratulations. Tell us about that win.
A: It means a lot. Obviously the conditions made it tough. The Bulldogs are good with their hands and in the contest, but the wet made it a contest for us. I felt all night it was a tough battle and to come out with a win is really good.

Q: Matty Richardson is upstairs and in the last quarter, he said I don’t want to say it, but if one man had had to kick for my life, it would be Todd Marshall. What was going through your mind.
A: It was a quiet night. I was working on strong contests and keeping forward. We are
working on the forward line about moments. Luckily in the last quarter I was able to kick a few. I find them (shots from the boundary) tough because you don’t have your normal run up. I didn’t kick it well but it swung through. It was good to get the win.

Q: Obviously it was tough conditions. Tell us about Jason Horne-Francis, the impact he has had
A: Yeah, I thought the whole midfield was good in the last quarter. We spoke about getting it forward for us and we need to create better contests. ‘Horny’ is so clean when he gets the ball, it is lovely to be having that.

Port Adelaide 3.5, 5.8, 6.10, 10.10 (70)
West.Bulldogs 1.2, 4.5, 7.6, 8.8 (56)

GOALS
Port Adelaide: Byrne-Jones 2, Marshall 2, Powell-Pepper, McEntee, Boak, Houston, Duursma
West.Bulldogs: Weightman 4, English, Naughton, Bontempelli, Hannan

DISPOSALS
Port Adelaide: Butters 32, Wines 26, Rozee 26
West.Bulldogs: Treloar 35, Johannisen 28, Liberatore 26

It looked like the Bulldogs were headed for victory early in the final quarter when Weightman kicked his fourth goal to put them up by eight points.

But the Power dug deep and somehow kicked the last four goals in the wet to secure a gutsy win in the driving rain.

In the end the Power pumped the Bulldogs in tackles 75-57 and also won contested possessions 152-147, inside 50s 57-50 and scoring shots 20-16.