Port Adelaide’s stress and explosive midfield have confirmed to be an excessive amount of for the Fremantle Dockers, with the Power maintaining their top-two possibilities alive with a 16-point win at Optus Stadium.
Fremantle had been driving excessive after a 101-point win over West Coast final week, however didn’t have the identical freedom as they did within the derby as Port Adelaide gained 11.8 (74) to eight.10 (58).
Port Adelaide pulled clear due to their stoppage work. They gained the clearance battle 38-33 however not all clearance wins are the identical.
Late within the third quarter, the Power had extra targets from clearances than Fremantle had scored for the day and the centre clearance figures had been 10-5. When they gained the ball at stoppages, they made the Dockers pay.
Jason Horne-Francis was dynamic with eight clearances from his 14 disposals for the day. His efficiency included one objective of his personal, and the Dockers had no reply for his velocity and creativity.
Horne-Francis burst clear after a boundary throw-in on the wing and located Jeremy Finlayson inside 50, who snapped a objective to place his group 21 factors up.
Zak Butters continued his very good season with 32 disposals and one objective.
Caleb Serong labored relentlessly for the Dockers, accumulating 27 possessions and 12 clearances however Fremantle couldn’t capitalise on his work.
Port Adelaide had been making an attempt to maintain their possibilities of ending within the high two alive whereas the Dockers had been enjoying for delight.
Fremantle had each cause to crumble throughout time-on within the second time period. They’d conceded the final two targets of the primary quarter, the primary two targets of the following quarter, and Port Adelaide responded to the Dockers’ breaking that run by kicking a objective from the centre clearance.
Fremantle then had an unsightly second.
Corey Wagner dropped a regulation mark, Karl Worner fumbled and the Power made them pay with a objective to Sam Powell-Pepper. An 18-point deficit might simply have blown out from there however the Dockers stepped up.
Tom Emmett kicked a objective on debut and his teammates got here from in every single place. Then Bailey Banfield tried a soccer scissor kick solely to have the objective overturned on video evaluation.
But they discovered a spark and Port Adelaide solely led by 9 factors on the lengthy break.
The Power stepped up throughout the third quarter although to make it a 22-point recreation with one time period to play and whereas Fremantle challenged within the ultimate interval, they couldn’t get the margin to lower than two targets to make Port Adelaide actually nervous.
They closed the clearance battle, however Port Adelaide’s capacity to show clearances into scores was the most important distinction.
Emmett ensured he’ll always remember his debut with 13 disposals and two targets. He checked out house in an AFL setting.
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir tried issues late, sending Luke Ryan and Brennan Cox ahead. Cox kicked a late objective however it wasn’t sufficient.
The Dockers misplaced Jaeger O’Meara to a calf harm after which Banfield injured his AC joint.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
