Port punishes winless Suns

Updated May 26, 2012 18:47:59

Port Adelaide gate-crashed Gold Coast Suns' home ground birthday party with a 48-point win at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.

Barely 12 months after becoming the Suns' first scalp, Port ensured history did not repeat by thumping in seven unanswered goals in a stunning third quarter.

The 17.16 (118) to 10.10 (70) win in front of 12,416 fans dashed the Suns' hopes of marking the one-year milestone of their Carrara venue with a first home victory.

They looked on track by juggling the lead before a slow-starting Power grabbed a one-point half-time advantage.

Then all hell broke loose.

Seven third-term goals in 14 minutes - including five majors in just six - ensured Port had doubled its half-time score by the final interval.

Remarkably Port racked up 22 inside 50s to the Gold Coast's 11 in the third term alone to help it grab a match-winning 14.14 (98) to 7.8 (50) lead.

For Port, Travis Boak was inspirational with three goals and 28 touches.

Travis Boak finished with three goals and 28 touches while Kane Cornes (24 possession and two goals) limited Suns skipper Gary Ablett to just 24 disposals.

Brad and Brett Ebert and Matthew Broadbent all kicked two goals each for the Power while Danyle Pearce was busy with 28 possessions and a major.

For Gold Coast, Sam Day finished with three majors while Harley Bennell, Sam Iles and Danny Stanley all had 25 disposals.

Gold Coast had hoped to break an 11-game losing run at home.

Instead the Power marked only their second away win in 14 games since 2011.

Port's initially inaccurate kicking ensured Gold Coast booted the opening two goals - including one in the opening seconds to an impressive Day.

The Power finally woke up in the 15th minute when they kicked their opening major and the floodgates opened as the visitors snatched a 4.4 (28) to 2.5 (17) lead at the first break.

Day opened the second term with two straight goals as both sides juggled the lead before Port held onto a 7.7 (49) to 7.6 (48) advantage at the main break.

Port's pressure and unforgivable Suns turnovers led to the third-quarter mauling that turned the match on its ear.

Gold Coast gave the true believers a glimmer of hope by kicking the first three majors of the fourth term but normal service resumed as Port notched back-to-back victories for the first time since round 22 in 2010.

Power: 17.16 (118) - T Boak 3, K Cornes 2, Brad Ebert 2, Brett Ebert 2, M Broadbent 2, D Pearce, J Westhoff, J Trengove, J Schultz, D Stewart, J McCarthy.

Suns: 10.10 (70) - S Day 3, A McQualter 2, G Ablett, C Brown, K Horsley, M Rischitelli, A Sexton.

ABC/AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, carrara-4211, qld, australia, adelaide-5000, sa

First posted May 26, 2012 16:57:49

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Cats keep Dees winless

Updated May 06, 2012 15:12:10

The Cats were a little cavalier according to coach Chris Scott but were able to score a comfortable 43-point win over the Demons at Kardinia Park.

Melbourne's winless season continued as the defending premiers improved their record to 4-2 with a 17.17 (119) to 11.10 (76) victory.

Steve Johnson played his best game of the season with three goals and 35 possessions while Paul Chapman and big James Podsiadly also contributed three goals each.

Joel Corey, Mitch Duncan and All-Australian defender Corey Enright also tallied over 30 possessions each for the Cats, while Mitch Clark with four goals and 21 disposals excelled for the Demons.

Clark had three of his side's six goals by half-time but the Cats led by 28 points and surged further ahead with a six-goal third term before only three goals were kicked in the final quarter, including two to the Geelong.

"We're playing okay. We were a little cavalier with our ball use at times," Scott said.

Scott noted the premiers had 10 players in their side with under 50 games worth of experience.

"Their (Melbourne's) pressure was pretty good. We seemed to let them score a little bit too easily on the back of some of our mistakes," he said.

"But we got the job done.

"We're nowhere near our best. Adelaide in Adelaide will be a big test (next Saturday)."

Scott said triple-premiership star Johnson was a capable midfielder but spent most of his time forward because he was so damaging near goal.

Johnson also had seven tackles, four clearances and six inside-50s.

"He has probably been under-rated in terms of his running ability for a long time. He has midfielder-level endurance," Scott said.

"Defensively he was very good as well. He played a pretty complete game."

Skipper Joel Selwood (concussion) and defender Tom Lonergan (ankle) were late withdrawals from Geelong's selected side and acting captain Jimmy Bartel was subbed out in the third quarter with a sore ankle.

Johnson said having a run in midfield was a nice change of pace.

"But he (Selwood) will come back next week and I'll get stuck down forward again," Johnson said.

"I enjoy getting up the ground. It gives you a little bit more to add to your bow."

Melbourne hosts Hawthorn at the MCG next Friday night.

The Demons gave a much-improved effort than their previous trip to Geelong in round 19 last year when they lost by 186 points, prompting coach Dean Bailey's sacking.

New Melbourne coach Mark Neeld said he could not be disappointed with the efforts of his young side.

"There are some things we're starting to see that we're pleased with," he said.

"In a couple of years' time, if we come back and get the same result, I'll be more disappointed."

Geelong: 17.17 (119) - S Johnson 3, P Chapman 3, J Podsiadly 3, J Bartel 2, A Mackie 2, T Hawkins, J Kelly, S Motlop, J Stringer.

Melbourne: 11.10 (76) - M Clark 4, N Jones 2, M Bate 2, A Davey, L Dunn, J Howe.

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, geelong-3220

First posted May 05, 2012 16:23:45

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Saints keep Dees winless

Updated April 29, 2012 14:01:53

St Kilda withstood a much-improved performance from Melbourne to win their tight clash by three goals at the MCG.

The Saints kicked the only two goals of the last term in the rain on Saturday night to beat the winless Demons 12.12 (84) to 10.6 (66).

Veteran St Kilda onballer Lenny Hayes was best afield with 25 possessions and 10 clearances.

Hayes also kicked a superb goal halfway through the last term after forcing his way past two opponents.

It was a key moment after the teams had battled ferociously for the vital opening goal of the last quarter in which the Demons ultimately failed to score a point.

Saints defender Jason Blake and midfielder Jack Steven limped off in the last quarter with leg injuries.

It was a fierce contest that deserved a lot more than the poor crowd of 24,798.

Stephen Milne kicked two goals in the first half to become the 50th player and only the fifth small forward to reach 500 AFL goals.

The goal umpire also signalled a goal for Milne in the second term when it clearly went through for a behind.

The value of the league's new and controversial video review system was shown when the goal was overruled.

It was also used in the first quarter to rule that Saint Nick Dal Santo's shot for goal was an obvious behind.

St Kilda kicked the first two goals of the third term to take a 16-point lead, but the Demons hit back with two of their own and trailed by three points at the last change.

Clint Bartram brought the Demons to within one kick with an outstanding running goal, kicking the ball with the outside of his boot on an acute angle.

Melbourne tagger Jordy McKenzie was driving Brendon Goddard to distraction with his physical tactics and the pair clashed repeatedly.

Goddard received a free kick during the third term against McKenzie, but the young Demon negated the Saints star's influence.

The Demons pressured St Kilda throughout, but the Saints were able to score when it counted and they kicked the last two goals of the second term to lead by two points at half-time.

St Kilda's Leigh Montagna will come under video review for an incident in the first term where opponent James Magner had to briefly leave the field under the blood rule.

While the Demons are now 0-5, they will take heart from beating St Kilda for total possessions, 338-326.

St Kilda: 12.12 (84) - B Wilkes 3, S Milne 2, N Riewoldt 2, J Steven 2, L Hayes, L Montagna, R Stanley

Melbourne: 10.6 (66) - N Jones 2, R Bail 2, B Moloney, A Davey, M Bate, L Dunn, C Bartram, J Watts

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, melbourne-3000

First posted April 28, 2012 22:28:02

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Fast-finishing Tigers leave North winless

By Raman Goraya

Updated April 24, 2011 20:36:00

A stirring seven-goal final term saw Richmond clinch its first win of the season with a come-from-behind nine-point victory at the expense of fellow strugglers North Melbourne on Sunday evening.

Billed as season-defining showdown for both clubs, the Tigers' speed and youthful exuberance shone through in the last quarter as they reeled in a 13-point three-quarter time deficit to prevail 17.10 (112) to 14.19 (103) at Docklands.

Young Tigers star Dustin Martin stole the show with 33 possessions and four goals, lifting Richmond off the canvas after the Kangaroos jumped out of the blocks with a 5.1 to 1.3 advantage after the opening term.

"Probably one of the best midfield games I've ever seen. He is a good young kid and he has his head screwed on the right way, which is always promising," team-mate Trent Cotchin told Grandstand.

Martin kicked the Tigers into the lead for the final time with five minutes left after being awarded a contentious free-kick deep inside North Melbourne's defensive 50.

Only a minute later, Jake King (three goals) ran into an open goal to extend the margin to 11 points as the Kangaroos ran out of gas with the game on the line.

Jack Riewoldt was also irrepressible at times in the Richmond forward line, taking a swag of strong marks and standing tall with 5.2 for the evening.

Drew Petrie was a standout for the still winless Kangaroos, booting six goals, four of which came in the first half.

The Roos' early advantage was whittled down to 10 points at half-time, before the Tigers briefly took their first lead of the game early in the third term, only for Roos skipper Brent Harvey to inspire his side again with a great running finish.

It was not until 12 minutes into the last term when a goal from Cotchin, who overcame an uncharacteristically poor start to the game, gave the Tigers the edge before they saw out some nervy moments in their back half thanks to some poor goal-kicking by North.

Midfielder Andrew Swallow pointed the finger at North's inability to make the most of its 33 shots on goal.

"It was very disappointing. One of the things we've got at the moment is guys not standing up in front of goals when they get the opportunity," he said.

"I think we kicked 2.8 in the last quarter. It really cost us and it's one that got away."

Better ball use

Whilst still unable to put together a four-quarter performance, Tigers coach Damian Hardwick will be buoyed by the fantastic work rate of his young charges in the clinches.

"We just have to make sure we are continually working on playing the whole game out. We haven't been pretty good in third and second quarters, but our starts are still hurting us and they did today," Cotchin said.

Cotchin said the Tigers gained the ascendancy by using the ball better after the long break, especially out of defence.

"We really got on top of them with the spread and as much as our contested footy probably went down in the second half, it was smarter ball use that helped us," he said.

"I was probably one of the main culprits with my ball use early on.

"But once we straightened up and starting using our width and opening them right up, we were able to put the scores on the board much better."

Robin Nahas' forward pressure was magnificent in the closing stages, as was the inside work of Nathan Foley, who finished with 24 touches and nine tackles.

In contrast, Brad Scott's men could not maintain their cracking start built on exposing the suspect Tigers defence with quick and frequent forward entries thanks to their superior clearance work.

"Our skill execution is still killing us. We really need to turn that around," added Swallow, who was one of North's best.

"We're in this together, we need to go back and work on a few things."

Tigers: 17.10 (112) - J Riewoldt 5, D Martin 4, J King 3, T Cotchin 2, B Miller, M White, S Edwards

Kangaroos: 14.19 (103) - D Petrie 6, A Swallow 2, B Cunnington, B Harvey, D Wells, L Adams, L Hansen, R Tarrant

First posted April 24, 2011 19:48:00

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