Round 3 – Port Adelaide v West Coast Eagles: Young guns shoot down Port

 

Round 3

Port Adelaide v West Coast Eagles

12.30 pm, 29 March, 2026

Adelaide Oval

 

West Coast Eagles overcame an early almost five-goal deficit to stun Port Adelaide Power at Adelaide Oval in an early Sunday afternoon blockbuster. A huge and game-saving Jobe Shanahan pack mark with just 48-seconds left in the game sealed the gutsy 13.14 (92) to 13.12 (90) win.

The classy Jake Waterman was a thorn for the host’s defence and the talented forward booted four goals that included a massive 67-long bomb in the final quarter.

There were some nervous moments for Eagles’ coach Andrew McQualter after Port young key forward Jack Whitlock rose above the pack to kick his third and draw within a kick before Shanahan’s Leo Barry-type mark.

Earlier in the match, Port Adelaide began hot while its opponents were still in ‘Western Australian time’. The home side kicked the first four goals of the game – all from Jacks – in Lukosius, a pair of majors to Whitlock and Watkins pounced on a loose handball to crumb a goal.

Debutant Josh Lai showed poise, leap and speed at the top level and took two impressive marks across halfback. Zak Butters, as stand-in captain in the absence of the injured Connor Rozee, was in everything but slowly and surely the Eagles lifted courtesy young stars Harley Reid and number one draft pick Willem Duursma was simply brilliant with his marking and assured ball use on a wing. The pair kicked two goals each.

Eagles’ veteran Elliott Yeo, who was prominent and physical, injured a groin but stalwarts Tim Kelly, Jack Graham and captain Liam Duggan were simply magnificent winning key possessions.

Both teams had chances in front of goal – either by extending leads or pegging back deficits. When Kelly found the experienced 2018 premiership forward Jamie Cripps, who soaked up the final few seconds, the smile on ‘Mini’ McQualter and his coaching crew’s faces couldn’t be wiped off.

It was a win for the ages and a growth spurt within this young team.

SHANAHAN GETS THE JOB(e) DONE
With Port Adelaide pressing and on the back of a Jack Whitlock goal that drew the margin to two points West Coast’s way, young West Coast Eagles forward Jobe Shanahan had his biggest moment in his fledgling career. The versatile Eagle soared to take a pack mark to essentially save the game for his team with 48-seconds remaining.

WHAT NOW FOR PORT?
Many argued that 2021 Brownlow Medalist Ollie Wines should have slotted straight back into the Power team. Wines was suspended for the last game of last season and the first two this year. But new Power mentor Josh Carr and the selection panel decided to opt for ex-Fremantle Docker Will Brodie who last played at AFL in 2024. The selection gamble didn’t pay off and while hindsight is a wonderful thing and that Brodie will be better for the run, perhaps Wines would’ve been the better option to support Zak Butters and in the absence of injured captain Connor Rozee.

 

PORT ADELAIDE      5.5     8.6     9.11     13.12 (90)
WEST COAST           2.1     7.4     11.10    13.14 (92)

GOALS
Port Adelaide: Whitlock 3, Georgiades 3, Durdin 2, Watkins, Lukosius, Jones, Horne-Francis, Byrne-Jones
West Coast: Waterman 4, Reid 2, Allan 2, Yeo, Graham, Duursma, Davis, Cripps

BEST
Port Adelaide: Butters, Drew, Farrell, Burgoyne, Sweet, Georgiades, Whitlock
West Coast: Waterman, Duursma, Reid, Shanahan, Kelly, Lindsay, McCarthy.

INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Ratugolea (TBC)
West Coast: Yeo (groin)

Crowd: TBC at Adelaide Oval

Malarkey Votes

3 – Harley Reid (WCE)

2 – Willem Duursma (WCE)

1 – Jake Waterman (WCE)

 

Read more from Nick Kossatch (KOSSYPOWERMAN) HERE

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