Round 20 – GWS v Port Adelaide: Giant win by Port as Yeppoon Swans surge again

“It would be nice to actually have a stable A-grade Boyne Island-Tannum Sands Saints team from week to week,” I said to myself on Saturday morning as I sorted out yet another re-arrangement of guernsey numbers for incoming players.

 

Those who replaced the dozen or so who could not play against the rampant Yeppoon Swans tried hard but felt the full wrath of a generational Swans outfit destined for a seventh straight AFL Capricornia premiership.

 

The score was 187-2.

 

“Miracles do happen….the greatest sports triumphs come where the underdog upsets the ‘white collar club'”, I said to myself as Yeppoon’s version of a tropical cyclone in Thomas ‘TC’ Cossens glided through the midfield and into attack to slot home eight goals.

 

“Who’s on TC, who’s on Christian Burgess (who played for Essendon’s VFL side a couple of Sunday’s ago), who’s on Joshua McKee …f-ck sake…he’s kicked another,” I muttered to myself.

 

The Saints do have a home elimination final and one thing is guaranteed, it will be a different side to the one that played against the Yeppoon Robots…oops Swans on Saturday.

 

Players who were injured and / or not available, will return and that will make one hell of a difference come finals time.

 

This can also be said of my beloved Port Adelaide Power with the return of the Three Amigos – Connor Rozee, Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma all adding class to Port.

 

It was evident against a dangerous and….top-eight team (prior to this game) Greater Western Sydney Giants.

 

The Power entrenched itself in the top four and a chance for top-two after a convincing 15.10 (100) to 11.7 (73) win against Greatest Western Sydney Giants at Marvel Stadium on Sunday night.

 

After the returning Toby Greene kicked a go-ahead goal early in the final quarter, Port powered to another gear with a brace of goals to Charlie Dixon (four goals) and an arrow from an angle to Xavier Duursma to distance itself from the tenacious Giants.

 

Duursma’s two ‘Three Amigo’ team-mates Zak Butters and Connor Rozee were also pivotal in the frantic final term soured by a head injury to GWS young gun Jacob Hopper who was accidentally kicked in the head as he attempted to smother a kick from Karl Amon.

 

The latter was magnificent for the Power especially early in the piece and late when Port needed vital run between half back and half forward.

 

Ollie Wines may have nailed a top-three spot in the race for the Brownlow Medal with another powerhouse display with 28 possessions balanced between 14 kicks and 14 handballs and 17 contested.

 

Ruck forward Peter Ladhams kicked three freakish goals including an ‘Angus Monfries’ goal that took on off-break after Giants’ defender Nick Haynes opted to allow the ball to bounce.

 

It bounced the right way, for Port supporters, in a wrong sort of way if you follow the laws of physics!

 

Defensive trio Aliir Aliir, captain Tom Jonas and impressive Trent McKenzie were supreme on Harry Himmelberg, Jesse Hogan and Greene, although Greene kicked 2.4.

 

Half backs Darcy Byrne-Jones and Ryan Burton mopped up consistently throughout the night out of the defensive zone.

 

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley said it was an impressive performance.

 

“I thought it was a strong performance by the boys and I really liked the way we were challenged,” he said.

 

“GWS, really good side and they had plenty to play for.

 

“I think we got asked again in the last couple of weeks to respond again and we were able to do that.”

 

The Power take on the Adelaide Crows this Saturday night at Adelaide Oval (at this stage) in Showdown 50.

 

 

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY            1.1       7.2       10.5      11.7 (73)
PORT ADELAIDE                                      3.4       8.4       11.6      15.10 (100)

 

GOALS 
Greater Western Sydney: Lloyd 3, Hogan 2, Greene 2, Ward, Taranto, Mumford, Himmelberg,
Port Adelaide: Dixon 4, Ladhams 3, Georgiades 2, Boak, Butters, Amon, Marshall, Fantasia, Duursma

 

BEST
Greater Western Sydney: Kelly, Hopper, Haynes, Whitfield, Lloyd
Port Adelaide: Amon, Boak, Wines, Dixon, Rozee, Butters, Ladhams

 

INJURIES
Greater Western Sydney: Phil Davis (concussion), Jacob Hopper (concussion)
Port Adelaide: Nil

 

SUBSTITUTES
Greater Western Sydney: Bruhn (replaced Davis)
Port Adelaide: Woodcock (unused) 

 

 

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