by Booney » Mon Jul 20, 2015 9:32 am
Well it was tables turned yesterday afternoon at Adelaide Oval.
Adelaide fans would admit they’ve been frustrated by their sides slow starts this year that has them playing catch up footy for the much of the game resulting in tired legs and minds making poor skill errors and decisions. Not so yesterday.
Adelaide burst out of the blocks to jump to an early lead by making the most of every one of their F50 entries. 6 goals straight at one point to 2.4 and both sides had had their turn with it, one side just used it much better than the other. Jenkins, Walker and Lynch looked ominous up forward and Jacobs was giving Thompson, Danger and Douglas a good look at it. For Port, Ryder looked on as did Hartlett who had gone deeper into defence to cover the loss of Pittard. Adelaide by 15 at the first change.
The second quarter was a much more of an arm wrestle, 5 goals to both sides and although the gap was still 3 goals it looked as though Port were getting some more run from defence and had Ryder hit the scoreboard again, Wingard got some valuable touches but a lack of discipline ( or slightly dodgy calls ) gave Adelaide a couple of easy goals on the back of 2 50m penalties. One of them, Trengove on Cameron was in a marking contest, slightly late, but it was a contest and it was also a 50. The other, O’Shea going over the mark inside the centre square was a costly error that need not have happened. Again, Jacobs and the Adelaide mids were dictating the run of play but it was Port’s back half just getting on top. Boy, did that change.
Adelaide were on fire straight after the main break, a 7 goal quarter ultimately set up the win and the work of Lynch and Walker during this quarter proved to be the difference. Lynch lost Clurey on several occasions to create an avenue to Adelaide’s goal mouth, Betts slipped out the back for an easy one after a terrible turnover from Neade while Laird and Henderson started to mop up down back.
The loss of Talia looked to be bad news for Adelaide, Ryder and Schulz were offering targets and Adelaide fans full well know that Westhoff can take the game from them. With Talia off it was down to Hartigan to take Schulz and the undersized Lever and Henderson to battle with Ryder or the resting Lobbe ( who kicked 2 ) and Westhoff. They held sway as Port wasted more ball coming forward and an even 30 points at ¾ time looked to much for Port to peg back.
The last quarter was an interesting one for both sides. The first 5 minutes showed Adelaide intention. Slow the play, move the ball sideways to uncontested possession and keep the ball off Port. They almost looked like they were happy to go goalless from the outset, might not have been 100% their intention, but it ended up exactly that way. Adelaide held goalless for the last stanza.
It was an arm wrestle until about the 15 minute mark when Ryder marked and goaled, so did Wingard, so did Lobbe.....all of a sudden it’s back to 17 points. Boak gets the aid of a 50m penalty and it’s back to 11 with about 6 minutes to go. Game on. One costly miss from Westhoff during this period proved to be very, very costly.
Port push forward and the skills of Robbie Gray shine as he swoops, snaps truly and it’s a 3 point ball game. Adelaide are still sitting back, happy to let Port come at them and when Adelaide got the ball from defence to the wing they were happy to back pedal and hold possession again. And this is how the frantic last quarter would end, Adelaide just holding on by 3 points.
The main points from the game :
• Adelaide moved the ball from defence to attack far too easily on far too many occasions. Smith, Martin and Wright only had about 40 touches between the three of them, but many of them were from deep in defence at kick ins or ball ups that cleared the zone for Adelaide. This happened often and without too much pressure from Port.
• Sam Jacobs would like to play against Port every week. As I noted in my preview he had been a little off for a month or so, but did he show up on the weekend or what? 50+ hitouts giving Thompson, Dangerfield and Douglas first look and they took advantage of this with 89 disposals and 32 clearances between them. This was the difference. Port had 39 clearances combined.
• Adelaide held Wines to 19 touches and 8 clearances. Hey, most players would be happy with these numbers but Wines has been Ports prime mover for a few weeks now and his influence was limited by the Adelaide mids. Mainly as they got the ball first.
• Adelaide’s forwards who have had a quiet few weeks found some form. Walker with 6 marks, 3 goals and 3 goal assists was important leading his team. Jenkins had 5 marks (3 I50 ) and 3 goals and Cameron hit the board with 2 goals. Port, mainly Krakouer, kept Betts pretty much out of the game other than the cheap one he got out the back on a turnover. A real win for Krakouer there.
Once again Port fans go home lamenting the poor decision making and ball use from the back half and wonder why oh why have we started going sideways instead of direct to goal when we had, for the first time in weeks, seen a marking target in Ryder looking dangerous in front of goal.
Playing for pride now in 2015 with an eye on 2016 and getting the likes of Ah Chee, Young, Moore, Amon and Clurey more game time at the top level.
In the end Adelaide far too good around the ball, used the ball better and finished off in front of goal when they had to.
PAFC. Forever.
LOOK OUT, WE'RE COMING!
