ST KILDA’S horror record against Port Adelaide has continued, with the Power conquering the Saints by 21 points in cold and blustery conditions at AAMI Stadium.
Captain Nick Riewoldt kicked three for the Saints, who drew to within seven points in the third term after trailing by 32 during the second quarter, but the visitors couldn’t sustain the momentum and were outplayed 12.10 (82) to 9.7 (61) by last year’s beaten grand finalists.
Incredibly the Saints have now won only one of their last 12 clashes with Port, and not beaten the Power at their home since 1997 – the Power’s first year in the competition.
Goalsneak Daniel Motlop kicked three for the Power, while the match saw the return to form of Port skipper Warren Tredrea, who booted two goals and created several others in an impressive display. Lenny Hayes led the way for the Saints with a 31-possession match, but he played largely a lone hand.
Port’s Kane Cornes won the Peter Badcoe VC Anzac Medal, but it was the 20,517 fans that most deserved a medal for being put through a first half which stuttered from start to finish – including a stop-start version of the national anthem.
The Saints swung the first surprise of the night, with Jason Blake tagging Power dangerman Chad Cornes.
The match-up earned Blake a crack on the nose but didn’t last long, with Cornes injuring a hand early in the first term and spending the rest of the quarter in the rooms (it was a mixed blessing for the Saints, with Cornes returning but to play largely up forward, not on the ball).
Meanwhile on field, Port squandered first use of the strong but blustery wind, with the first goal taking 19 minutes as the Power insisted on chipping the ball around as if they were tacking into a howling gale.
Tredrea eventually asserted some leadership and with what seemed the first long kick of the match found Motlop in the goal square, who outmanoeuvred Brendan Goddard and goaled.
The floodgates then opened, with the Power adding two more in the next six minutes, to Tredrea and Travis Boak – both courtesy of St Kilda turnovers in defence.
Port must have received a rocket from Mark Williams at the break, because they burst out of the centre after the opening bounce of the second term and goaled within 20 seconds through Shaun Burgoyne.
When another followed to Brendan Lade five minutes later – again assisted by Tredrea – the home side was out to a 31-point break and the task was looking challenging for the Saints.
The first signs of life for the visitors came when Xavier Clarke showed some initiative and burst through half forward, finding Riewoldt who eventually ran into an open goal to boot the Saints’ first for the night after almost 11 minutes of the second term.
A second took another six minutes, when an errant tumble punt fell into Justin Koschitzke’s arms, but with the margin back to three goals the game was still alive – if only the players believed.
The second half started much as the first, with the game a stalemate until a spark came from an unlikely source in Port back pocket Michael Pettigrew, who goaled on the run from 50m five minutes in.
What had been a dour and disappointing match then suddenly burst to life.
Riewoldt replied after marking strongly, and when David Armitage goaled from 30m after being set up by some excellent lead-up work from Shane Birss and Clarke, and then Riewoldt goaled again, the Saints suddenly had some intensity, the margin was back to just seven points, and it was game on.
But Tredrea quickly replied for Port and Motlop booted an impossible goal from the boundary.
Jason Gram – who turns 24 tomorrow – then capitalised on a Luke Ball pass, but Brett Ebert goaled for Port from the other boundary.
Altogether eight goals in 18 minutes – four to each side – rewarded the crowd for sticking with the match, and promised a cracking final term, especially considering Port’s recent last-quarter fadeouts and the fact the Saints were just three goals down and coming home with the aid of the wind.
It wasn’t to be, however, with Port asserting its authority early with a third goal to Motlop, and the sides swapping goals in the run home.
The Saints now meet the Tigers next Saturday night at Telstra Dome.
Port Adelaide 3.2 6.5 10.7 12.10 (82)
St Kilda 0.2 3.4 7.5 9.7 (61)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Motlop 3, Tredrea, Boak 2, Lade, S Burgoyne, Pettigrew, Ebert, Cassisi
St Kilda: Riewoldt 3, Koschitzke 2, X Clarke, Gram, Armitage, Montagna
BEST
Port Adelaide: K Cornes, Boak, Tredrea, Motlop, Salopek, Cassisi
St Kilda: Hayes, Montagna, Baker, Riewoldt
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Krakouer (quad, replaced in side by Danyle Pearce), C Cornes (broken hand)
St Kilda: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Donlon, Stevic, Schmitt
Official crowd: 20,517 at AAMI Stadium
