Port stun Crows with comeback win
Port Adelaide produced a stunning comeback to eclipse arch rivals Adelaide by 32 points on Saturday night to revive their AFL season.
The Power trailed by 34 points midway through the second quarter but eventually steamrolled Adelaide 14.14 (98) to 9.12 (66) at AAMI Stadium.
Port's first win of the season against their more fancied opponents was punctuated by a four-goal cameo by David Rodan, while goalsneak Daniel Motlop booted two goals.
Adelaide, despite the best efforts of onballer Scott Thompson, failed to find an attacking winner with Taylor Walker kicking two majors.
The transformation of the match before 33,143 spectators was remarkable, given the Power were an error-prone rabble early.
They were held goal-less in the first term by an Adelaide outfit who dominated to create an ominous 4.6 to 0.3 lead at quarter-time.
And when young Crow Shaun McKernan kicked a goal in the eighth minute of the second stanza, his side sailed 34 points clear.
But Port coach Matthew Primus shunted Jackson Trengove into ruck and the move coincided with an sudden momentum change which the Power rode impressively to kick 13 of the next 14 goals of the contest.
Port's unheralded burst enabled them to creep within nine points at halftime before a superb third term over-ran the Crows, who were inept in the second half and slumped to their second defeat in three matches this season.
With Rodan a livewire in attack, and the likes of Justin Westhoff and Travis Boak influential, the Power slammed on five goals nil in the third term to take a match-winning 20-point buffer by the last change.
The result was confirmed when Rodan kicked his fourth halfway through the last term to seal a Port victory which seemed improbable in the second quarter.
Port Adelaide coach Matthew Primus rated the victory "as good as any other win we have had".
"The manner in which we have lost in the couple of weeks to start the season was disappointing so to bounce back, especially after the start we had, showed a bit of character," he said.
"But what we have to learn as a football club is we have to play with that intensity and attitude every week."
Adelaide coach Neil Craig lamented his side's inability to capitalise on their early advantage.
"We just got bulldozed out of the way," he said.
"We started well, the first quarter and a half was the level we want to play at as a team, but then Port lifted and in the end we just capitulated."
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