Round 11 – Port Adelaide v Essendon: Power withstand Dons’ surge

 

 

 

Port Adelaide v Essendon

4:10pm, Sunday May 29

Adelaide Oval

 

 

 

Port Adelaide returned to the winner’s circle with plucky 9.12 (66) to Essendon’s 6.14 (40) at a rain-soaked Adelaide Oval.

 

The hosts set up their win with a dominant first quarter-and-a-half before the Dons responded to get within eight points in the third quarter as the rain arrived.

 

Port settled in the final quarter as the likes of Ollie Wines, Travis Boak and young guns Zak Butters and Connor Rozee got their hands on the wet football.

 

Willem Drew revelled in the wet conditions and was vital as well in the final quarter.

 

Sam Powell-Pepper again was a source of energy and could have kicked better than 1.4.

 

His collision against Essendon ruckman Sam Draper was pure wet weather football with no inch given between the players.

 

The Power’s power forward Charlie Dixon made a successful return from a serious ankle injury to the AFL with two goals and at the other end of the ground, Tom Clurey and captain Tom Jonas were as solid as ever while Riley Bonner gave excellent run in his return game from injury.

 

After the Bombers’ third-term surge, Port’s Trent Dumont booted the team’s only goal in the second half to edge his side’s lead to 14 points at three-quarter-time.

 

Port will enjoy the mid-season bye this weekend before the Power travel to the MCG for a Thursday night blockbuster against Richmond Tigers on June 9.

 

Power coach Ken Hinkley would have been disappointed with his team’s tally of 41 inside 50s to Essendon’s 50 and just one goal after half-time.

 

There’s much work to be done in contested possessions stakes as well ahead of a tough test against the Tigers on Thursday week.

 

 

 

PORT ADELAIDE     4.2    8.4    9.8    9.12 (66)
ESSENDON            0.6    2.9    6.12    6.14 (50)

 

GOALS
Port Adelaide: Dixon 2, Butters, Dumont, Finlayson, Marshall, Motlop, Powell-Pepper, Rozee
Essendon: Durham, Jones, Martin, McGrath, Phillips, Waterman

 

BEST
Port Adelaide: Wines, Rozee, Butters, Amon, Boak, Houston
Essendon: Parish, Martin, Hind, Merrett, Hobbs, Phillips

 

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