Port Adelaide’s historic AFL embarrassment absolutely savaged

Port Adelaide’s horror start to the season is not getting any better as the club set a new low on a brutal night at the Adelaide Oval.

What is going on in Port Adelaide? Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Port Adelaide’s season has gone from bad to worse after an absolute thrashing at the hands of defending premiers Melbourne at Adelaide Oval, which saw the home side register its lowest ever halftime score.

The Demons dominated the first three quarters before the Power finished strong in a 10.8 (68) to 4.12 (36) drubbing.

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It continues a shocking start for the preliminary finalists from the past two seasons. Port are winless alongside the Covid-ravaged West Coast Eagles and Essendon in 2022.

Rubbing salt into the wound, Port appeared to be heading for victory in The Showdown against the Adelaide Crows last week, only for a Jordan Dawson goal after the siren to thwart them.

It was never going to get easier against the Demons but the first half in particular was horrific for the Power. It was 1.3 (9) to 0.3 (3) at the end of the first quarter and it got so much worse in the second term as Melbourne kicked away to a 6.6 (42) to 0.5 (5) lead.

It’s the first time in the club’s history Port Adelaide has not kicked a goal in the first half of a match.

In a sign of how bad things are going for Port, Todd Marshall had a long range shot to avoid the dreaded record of going into halftime without a single goal, but Zak Butters threw the Demons’ Jake Bowey.

It meant the free kick was reversed and the last chance to score a major in the first half was gone.

Zak Butters cost the Power a shot at a goal. Photo: Fox Sports

“That was a nightmare first half for the Port Adelaide Football Club,” Fox Footy’s Sarah Jones said.

“Just when we thought it couldn’t get worse for Port Adelaide, it actually did right on the siren,” AFL legend Jordan Lewis added.

“They didn’t get a chance to get a goal in that first half and it almost looked like Melbourne were half-laughing at what Port Adelaide dished up in this first half.

“They look shot, they look shot for confidence here Port Adelaide. They have no answers.”

Melbourne were laughing at Port at halftime. Photo: Fox Sports

Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall said Port had to change its approach halfway through the game.

“He (Hinkley) has got to now go, ‘Throw out what we did in the first half, let’s come out, roll the dice, we’ve got to come out and play attacking footy, and we’ve got to kick some goals’,” Dunstall told Fox Footy.

“At least it’s going to be a more open second half.

“Either that or Kenny (coach Ken Hinkley) has lost the plot. One of the two and I don’t think Kenny’s lost the plot. No, he knows. They tried to do something and it didn’t work.”

Port’s lowest ever score in a first half was 1.2 (8) vs Collingwood in Round 20, 2011, the same match the side had its lowest ever score of 3.3 (21).

The game got even crueller in the second half when Port looked to have kicked its first goal but it was touched by a Demons defender.

The common consensus was that it summed up Port’s night.

But finally the Power were put out of their misery with four minutes left in the third quarter as Dan Houston gave the side a goal.

With eight minutes to go in the match, Mitch Georgiades finally kicked the Power’s second goal and avoided the club’s lowest ever score.

Two more late goals flattered the Power, who still could only manage the equal-seventh lowest score in the club’s history.

The Power are struggling. Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images

At halftime, former Power 300-gamer Kane Cornes told AFL Nation it had been “a truly awful night”.

“You never want to see a coach’s tenure come to an end but it’s got that feel to it, I’m not saying anything drastic is going to happen in the next month or two months,” he said.

“I think they’ll need to methodically work through why this has broken down so badly and tonight has been a game plan issue for them.

“They just haven’t been good enough and look genuinely like a bottom four side tonight.

“Yes their opponents are powerful … I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of this crowd leaves at halftime.

“They’ll vote with their feet and it’s never nice to see your own players booed off the ground and that’s what is about to happen as Port Adelaide enter the changerooms to try and compose themselves.

“This has been the most disappointing first half of footy in the club’s history.”

While things got slightly better with a 3.4 (22) fourth quarter, the damage was already done.

The pressure continues to mount on Ken Hinkley. Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Footyology’s Rohan Connolly tweeted: “Seems incredible that a coach of a preliminary finalist could be under pressure to keep his job just five games later, but that’s how it’s starting to look for Ken Hinkley. Port got that real ‘bottom falling out’ look about them right now.”

Radio comedian Scott Dooley wrote: “As someone with no real goals, I relate to Port Adelaide.”

Choice’s Jarni Blakkarly said: “This is painful to watch.”

The Advertiser’s Miles Kemp added: "Forcing myself to watch this s**t out of pure dedication but don’t really know why. We shouldn’t really forget this game for a long time. Let the blood letting begin.”

Originally published as Port Adelaide’s historic AFL embarrassment absolutely savaged