by Booney » Tue Apr 15, 2025 10:12 am
You, me and the rest of the football world were left wondering "Where did that come from?" when Port Adelaide went to the half time break 59 points ahead of the previously unbeaten Hawthorn on Sunday night to close out Gather Round, the final margin 30 points. One of, if not the most frustrating parts of supporting this club, we know it's there. We know we can play at that level.
Little did we know but the opening minute was a fair reflection of how the rest of the game would unfold, well the first half in particular. Hawthorn scrambled the ball forward and Port took possession with a back half turnover, from there some efficient ball use by foot moved the ball from one end to the other with Joe Richards finding himself in space and on the end of the chain to kick truly from 45m out. First goal to Port Adelaide. Then a second and a third before Hawthorn's best on Jack Gunston goaled against the tide. Port added 3 more before quarter time and it wasn't as much the margin as the method. Deployed off half back, more to shake the attention than anything else, captain Rozee was in blistering form as he got off the leash. Butters was back to his best on the inside, Sweet was all over Meek and Horne-Francis was at his explosive best and Port's leaders took control of the contest.
Up front Georgiades is enjoying the attention Lord draws in the contest allowing Georgiades to get up and down and into space and for the first time this year that space was created by turnover from midfield pressure. When you win the ball on turnover you have the best opportunity to score before the opposition gets their defence set, but that's only part of the equation. The other part is ball use and on Sunday night Port Adelaide were exceptional by foot. Rozee off half back helped, Burgoyne doesn't make many mistakes, Jones didn't bite off more than he can chew and the likes of Powell-Pepper ( the images of Sicily just pointing at him before SPP snapped a goal and let him know were delicious ), Richards who while the jury is still out on for mine and Rioli all benefitted from the back half dominating and the midfield using it with precision.
If Hinkleys fine last year was $20k for pretending to be an aeroplane if must be significantly more for pulling Mitchell's pants down on national prime time TV.
From the get go Port didn't allow Hawthorn to run from their defence, it's their catalyst for creating the space for their smalls to run into and our back half broke the Hawks forward set up to pieces. This created hesitation from their D50 and once you get Hawthorn kicking long down the line you've got them playing a style they don't want to play. Chol on his own up front can't play the lone hand, Siciliy is a top notch aerialist but he's not crashing packs on the wings and when Impey, Amon, Weddle and D'Ambrosio don't get the ball on the move in transition they can't play Hawthorn footy. Ports coaching box must have been thrilled by the diagnosis of the Hawks early last week, the method put to the playing group on how to get them and the execution on the night. All of it went as well as it could.
Now, can we see this sort of intensity again and again and again? Time will tell.
Boon's best - Rozee, Butters, Horne-Francis, Georgiades, Richards
If you want to go quickly, go alone.
If you want to go far, go together.
