Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has hailed his aspect’s resilience after a troublesome 10-point win over Richmond in an AFL slugfest.
Zak Butters, Connor Rozee and Jason Horne-Francis all shone within the Power’s 10.17 (77) to 9.13 (67) victory, denying the Tigers of their first outing since Damien Hardwick’s shock resignation.
Key defenders Aliir Aliir and Trent McKenzie had been additionally necessary contributors as Port (9-2) prolonged their successful streak to eight matches and additional entrenched themselves within the prime 4.
Six of these victories have been by margins of 14 factors or much less and Sunday’s MCG triumph was the South Australian outfit’s fourth straight interstate win since a trouncing from Collingwood in spherical two.
It got here regardless of a 25-point quarter-time lead being in the reduction of to 2 factors early within the ultimate time period and with moist climate enjoying a job in Port being unable to translate their territorial dominance on the scoreboard.
“It was challenging conditions that suited Richmond’s surge-ball game and we had to be prepared to go the whole way, so it was a really pleasing victory,” Hinkley stated.
“We had a lot of ball in our front half and yeah, they had a great second quarter, but we stuck to task.
“This group’s been outstanding resilient this yr and we have been capable of get by means of quite a lot of challenges.”
Butters (32 disposals, four clearances, one goal), Rozee (27 disposals, six clearances) and Horne-Francis (23 disposals, one goal) helped Port gain midfield ascendancy despite the best efforts of Tim Taranto.
Richmond’s prime on-baller bucked the trend of inaccuracy in front of goal and was a McKenzie fingernail away from booting five majors, but had to settle for 4.1 to go with game-high tallies of 33 disposals and seven clearances.
Dustin Martin (two) was the only other multiple goal-kicker.
Dion Prestia (29 disposals, five clearances) fought hard for the Tigers, while Toby Nankervis was involved in a tough ruck battle with Power big man Scott Lycett.
Richmond caretaker coach Andrew McQualter used Hardwick as motivation for his players pre-match, urging them to pay tribute to the three-time premiership mentor.
“We spoke about honouring Dimma and what he is given the membership for an extended time period,” McQualter stated.
“The gamers love him, so there is a motive why we did that.
“‘We didn’t play our best game of footy but the fight they showed was huge. They never gave up.”
Despite that effort, a second straight loss leaves Richmond’s (3-7-1) finals hopes in tatters forward of an away conflict with GWS in spherical 12.
Port Adelaide shall be sizzling favourites to proceed their successful streak at dwelling to Hawthorn.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
