Port Adelaide inflicted a slow death of a thousand cuts on Essendon on Sunday, overcoming a severe dose of the goalkicking yips to belatedly inch past the Bombers via sheer weight of numbers at Adelaide Oval.
The Power controlled most departments of play but their inaccuracy in front of the sticks meant they trailed for the best part of three quarters, keeping Essendon in the fight.
Jye Caldwell marks for the Bombers from Sam Weideman and Port’s Trent McKenzie.Credit: AFL Photos
Port missed 16 of their first 23 attempts at goal, while the Bombers nailed 10 of their first 11.
The Power’s waywardness ensured the contest wasn’t truly decided until the final 30 seconds when Andrew Phillips’ set shot from 50 metres to tie the scores fell short and was rushed through by Port’s relieved defence for a five-point win.
Earlier, the Power’s back line was stressed and put to the sword thanks to Essendon’s outright centre-square dominance, which the home side took some time to eventually quell.
The visitors chalked up the first eight centre clearances of the match, an overwhelming advantage that they used to eye-catching effect in the opening quarter.
Jake Stringer, back to his best last week against Geelong, provided immense value for touches, while Darcy Parish was typically prolific and Zach Merrett refused to yield an inch in the square.
The trio put Port’s engine room to the sword early and Essendon’s forwards made hay during that period to open up a 21-point lead shortly after quarter-time.
Jason Horne-Francis is tackled by Will Setterfield.Credit: AFL Photos
Zak Butters then uncorked a sizzling second stanza which enabled the Power to blunt Essendon’s runaway domination in the clinches. Port got right on top of the Bombers in virtually every area bar the scoreboard.
Butters, aided as always by partner-in-crime Connor Rozee, helped Port steal control at the contest and get handsomely on top both on the outside and in the territorial battle.
Todd Marshall slotted a beauty from the scoreboard pocket and Darcy Byrne-Jones converted a 50-metre penalty but poor finishing, otherwise, hampered the Power’s bid to push in front.
Port could only muster 2.7 for the second term despite their 15-6 edge in inside-50s, while the Bombers buried three without a miss to grimly hang on to a 14-point half-time cushion.
Port’s Charlie Dixon celebrates after booting a goal.Credit: Getty Images
Essendon’s back line suffered a blow in the second quarter when Jordan Ridley was subbed out with concussion following a bump from Junior Rioli, forcing Kyle Langford to be swung into defence and leaving the Bombers unbalanced.
Then in the third term, the Power lost captain Tom Jonas to rib soreness when he was crunched in an aerial pack.
Port’s goalkicking woes continued in the third period when Charlie Dixon missed a sitter in the opening minute, wasting a powerful pack mark against Brandon Zerk-Thatcher and Mason Redman.
But Dixon redeemed himself later in the term, slotting back-to-back six-pointers in time-on to give the Power their first lead of the afternoon.
Archie Perkins pinched the lead back for Essendon to start the fourth, but Port wouldn’t be denied, completing what is fast becoming a trademark come-from-behind rearguard win.
Rozee’s accurate snap followed by a fine finish from Rioli, courtesy of Sam Powell-Pepper’s fast hands, ended the flurry of misses and created enough of a gap to ensure, narrowly, a fifth successive victory for Port and a third straight defeat to Essendon.
CONCERNS IN THE CENTRE
The second quarter started in virtually the same fashion that the entire opening term had been played. Brynn Teake won the opening bounce but his tap was sharked by Stringer, who exchanged handballs with Merrett, then a lace-out pass to Langford. He juggled a one-handed mark against Trent McKenzie and duly slotted his second to extend the Bombers’ advantage to 19 points.
“It is a shemozzle in there at the moment for Port,” said 1988 Brownlow medallist and Fox Footy commentator Gerard Healy. “They need to address it because it’s putting their back line under enormous pressure.″
It took a while, but they eventually did.
PORT ADELAIDE 3.4 5.11 9.16 12.20 (92)
ESSENDON 6.1 9.1 11.3 13.9 (87)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Byrne-Jones 2, Dixon 2, Rioli 2, Boak, McEntee, Powell-Pepper, Marshall, Finlayson, Rozee.
Essendon: Stringer 2, Weideman 2, Langford 2, Perkins 2, McDonald-Tipungwuti, Caldwell, Hobbs, Merrett, Menzie.
BEST
Port Adelaide: Butters, Rozee, Horne-Francis, Drew, Houston, Burton.
Essendon: Parish, Merrett, Stringer, Draper, Langford, McGrath.
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Jonas (chest soreness), Butters (knee).
Essendon: Ridley (concussion).
CROWD
36,247 at Adelaide Oval.
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