Port Adelaide ahead Todd Marshall has booted a pair of late clutch targets to encourage his AFL facet to a comeback 14-point victory over the Western Bulldogs.
Marshall’s double-strike in a 3 minute span within the last time period helped the Power prevail 10.10 (70) to eight.8 (56) on a rain-soaked Adelaide Oval.
The Bulldogs, with Cody Weightman slotting 4 targets in his first AFL recreation of the season after overcoming a groin damage, had been eight factors up 10 minutes right into a frantic last time period.
But Marshall then transformed two set-shots, together with a exceptional 45-metre effort when hemmed on a boundary line, to place the Power in entrance.
The dwelling facet kicked the final 4 targets of the sport earlier than a forty five,115-strong crowd.
Port’s Zak Butters (32 disposals, one objective) and Ollie Wines (26 disposals) revelled within the moist whereas Darcy Byrne-Jones, redeployed in assault from his customary backline position, kicked two targets.
The Power’s Connor Rozee (26 possessions) and Dan Houston (22 touches, one objective) had been additionally vital.
The Bulldogs had been fantastically served by ruckman Tim English – he collected 23 disposals, kicked a objective and notched 28 hitouts in a show so dominant it pressured Port to substitute their first-choice ruck Scott Lycett.
Weightman was good with 4 majors whereas on-baller Adam Treloar (35 disposals), Jack Macrae (24) and Jason Johannisen (28) had been different standouts.
The Power made the early operating, main by 15 factors at quarter-time and by 9 at halftime, 5.8 to 4.5.
But their benefit rapidly disappeared within the third time period: Weightman soccered an excellent objective from an acute angle, his skipper Marcus Bontempelli added one other because the Dogs hit the entrance for the primary time.
The Bulldog surge got here as Port subbed out Lycett, who copped a towelling from English – the Power massive man recorded simply two disposals.
The groups traded the lead within the latter phases of the quarter earlier than a late main Mitch Hannan main put the Dogs forward by two factors, 7.6 to six.10, on the final change.
Weightman bobbed up for his fourth objective simply three minutes into the ultimate time period and the Dogs had been sniffing victory.
Enter Marshall, whose two ice-cool conversions triggered a match-winning Power surge of 4 consecutive targets.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
