Port Adelaide will look to maintain its hopes of finishing inside the top two — and subsequently earn a home qualifying final — when it takes on Fremantle.
The Dockers (9-12, 95.2%) have found some late-season form — despite being out of finals contention — winning two of their past three games.
The Power (15-6, 111%) regained their mojo last week with a 51-point win over the Giants, while they’ll also be buoyed by coach Ken Hinkley’s recent two-year contract extension.
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This match gets underway at 4.40pm AEST from Optus Stadium.
Watch it live on Fox Footy (Channel 504) from 4pm AEST.
QUARTER-BY-QUARTER MATCH REPORT
There was no late change for either side with veteran Travis Boak for Port and Neil Erasmus for Fremantle as the subs.
Willem Drew almost got Port off to the perfect start when he streamed forward from the opening bounce.
It took a textbook Michael Frederick chase down tackle to get Fremantle on the board first as the Dockers’ pressure ramped up.
The chip-kick game served Fremantle well as they picked their way downfield to find Luke Jackson inside 50 – and the big man made no mistake.
Port needed to slow up the pace of the game as Fremantle’s pressure forced them into repeat turnovers.
And when Todd Marshall hit up Sam Powell-Pepper, the West Aussie made Fremantle pay.
Zak Butters got creative and went over his head with the snap to level scores as the Power finally got into the tempo of the match.
By quarter time, it was Fremantle leading by just one point, 16-15.
“That’s agitated Kenny,” commentator Garry Lyon said of coach Ken Hinkley at the first change.
“He’s just putting down some markers there. I reckon, 36 uncontested marks (to Fremantle)… I reckon he’s just saying, ‘Hey! Close up’.”
Young Ollie Lord gave the Power the lead early in the second after winning a holding free kick.
When Jeremy Finlayson got his first for the day, it was as if Port “flicked the switch” after quarter time, Lyon praised.
Sam Switkowski thought he gave Fremantle the spark, but Jason Horne-Francis had the immediate reply for Port.
Former skipper Tom Jonas put his body on the line in a nasty collision with teammate Ryan Burton.
Both players clashed heads as they had tried to get to the footy after Bailey Banfield had an airswing in the square.
But it was Jonas who came off worse for wear, bleeding heavily as he was brought to the bench for a HIA assessment.
Burton was able to remain out on the field.
The collision comes only weeks after another bout of friendly fire at the club between Aliir Aliir and Lachie Jones – a controversial clash given Aliir was wrongly allowed back out onto the field.
It was Fremantle who then fought their fight as Banfield almost managed a goal of the year contender with a brilliant bicycle kick. But a score review determined Burton got his arm on the ball.
By half time it was Port Adelaide leading 40-31.
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