Round 18
	V
Port Adelaide 16.9 (105)		St Kilda 8.9 (57)

Port Adelaide has stayed in the hunt for the minor premiership with a 42-point victory over St Kilda AAMI Stadium on Saturday night. The Power was challenged early by the young Saints side but as the match progressed Port’s superior midfield strength came to the fore with Port winning 16.9 (105) to 8.9 (57).

The Power kicked with the aid of a fresh breeze in the first quarter but it was the Saints who made the most of the conditions early, jumping out to a two-goal lead before Port registered its first major. St Kilda’s fierce attack on the ball around the stoppages stifled Port Adelaide’s running game, while Aaron Hamill provided a strong presence around the ground for the visitors.

However, the Saints were unable to make the most of their early good play and a late goal to Stuart Dew for the Power reduced St Kilda’s lead to a mere four points at quarter-time.

The Saints were to rue their missed chances as Josh Francou and Nick Stevens for the Power escaped their respective taggers to give their side some much-needed drive through the midfield in the second term. St Kilda had no answers to the Power’s run and failed to kick a goal for the quarter with Chad Cornes adding two of the Power’s six second-quarter goals.

Port’s lead was 31 points at half-time and the floodgates appeared set to open as the second half got underway. Power captain Matthew Primus continued to have the better of his ruck duel with Peter Everitt but the Saints hung on grimly and restricted the Power to three goals.

Warren Tredrea – well-held for most of the match – exploded into action in the final term kicking three goals in his 100th AFL game to dash any hopes of a St Kilda comeback.

After the match, Power coach Mark Williams praised his side’s fighting qualities. “I was impressed by the way that we battled that game out,” he said. “They just came to shut us down and played pretty scrappy footy. To give them a goal or so start early on in the game and then really stop them scoring for the rest of the game was terrific.”

And after yet another inspired effort from his captain, Williams had some advice for All-Australian selectors. “I can say that against the players that have been pushed as the All-Australian ruckmen, Matty Primus has taken them on head-to-head, one-on-one and beaten them, so that says where he’s at as far as I’m concerned.”

Despite his side’s lofty position on the ladder, Williams warned against complacency as the Power prepares to take on cellar-dwellers Carlton in round 19. “You can’t just say, ‘oh well, we’re playing Carlton next week – there’s a win’, because I’m sure Carlton are going to come out and throw the grandstand at us next week – there’s no doubt about it. It’s such a proud club that they’re not going to cop that (their 108-point loss to Collingwood) and we have to be the ones that are prepared for it.”

Saints coach Grant Thomas admitted his side had been outclassed by the Power on the night, but he was able to draw some positives from the result. “Statistically there were some positives for us,” he said. “We got into our forward fifty a lot and we weren’t smashed in any area. The positives we take out are that we can show that we can play against top opposition for a period of time. It comes down to our consistency and our ability to not have any lulls in our game because when we do have lulls then sides do expose us.”

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