A midfield masterclass from Zak Butters has impressed Port Adelaide to a four-point victory over Melbourne in an AFL thriller.
Butters gathered 41 disposals, kicked two targets and had a dozen rating involvements within the Power’s stirring 11.14 (80) to 11.10 (76) triumph.
The dynamic 22-year-old’s Friday night time feats had been instrumental in Port’s seventh win in a row – they take second spot on the ladder from Melbourne forward of weekend video games.
The Demons merely could not management Butters, who additionally had 9 clearances and eight inside 50s, as they slipped to their third lack of the yr on a rain-soaked Adelaide Oval.
Butters’ midfield mate Rozee (31 touches, 11 inside 50s), Dan Houston (33 disposals) and Willem Drew (22, 10 tackles) had been busy whereas younger ahead Ollie Lord and Jeremy Finlyason slotted two targets every.
Melbourne backman Steven May was excellent along with his 23 disposals together with 15 rebounds from his defensive 50m zone.
Demon on-baller Clayton Oliver (28 possessions), ahead Bayley Fritsch (two targets), Tom McDonald (two targets) had been outstanding and Lachie Hunter gathered 24 disposals however was reported for a excessive bump on Port’s Connor Rozee.
The Power’s pivotal pair Butters and Rozee engineered a quick begin with the duo gathering 23 disposals between them to assist their aspect to a 3.2 to 1.2 benefit at quarter-time.
Port stretched their break to 25 factors halfway by means of the second time period however two well timed strikes from Melbourne’s Fritsch diminished the margin to 14 factors at halftime.
Butters’ affect prolonged into the third quarter with a objective earlier than the Demons rallied.
As Port’s ex-captain Travis Boak was substituted – the 336-gamer was crunched within the decrease again in a marking contest in time period two – the guests piled on 4 targets in eight minutes to take a five-point lead.
Melbourne capped their dominant quarter with two extra majors, the final from a doubtful ruck free to Brodie Grundy put the guests 17 factors up.
Port’s Butters goaled after the siren however the Demons held an 11-point benefit, 10.7 to eight.8, at three quarter-time.
The solely Demon downer of their 7.2 to three.1 quarter was the report of Hunter, whose proper hip collected a sliding Rozee within the head on the outer wing.
In a frenetic finale, Power ahead Jeremy Finlayson goaled after being awarded a free kick when struck excessive by Jacob van van Rooyen some 60 metres behind play.
Fourth-gamer Lord returned Port the lead with a close-range checkside earlier than Melbourne’s McDonald regained it for his staff with a cool set shot with eight minutes left.
But with 4 minutes to go, Port’s sensible Rozee snapped the match-winning objective as his membership held on for an eighth win of the yr.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
