Match

Melbourne vs Port Adelaide

Commentary / 22 Jul 2017

Pre Game

59:30
Welcome to MCG for the Melbourne v Port Adelaide Round 18 clash.
59:33
Outs for Demons: J.Wagner, B.Vince, D.Kent, C.Pedersen, J.Smith
59:34
Ins for Demons: D.Tyson, C.Salem, J.Watts, J.Viney, J.Trengove
59:35
Outs for Power: J.Pittard
59:36
Ins for Power: M.Broadbent
59:40
Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.
00:00
The Demons have allowed their opposition to generate an inside 50 from 24 per cent of their kick-ins this season - the third-highest percentage conceded by a side.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:58
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Tom McDonald)
00:59
After eight goals in the first 104 games of his career, Demon Tom McDonald has embraced his move forward in 2017, kicking his twentieth goal in his seventeenth game this season.
02:42
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Charlie Dixon)
04:03
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Sam Powell-Pepper)
07:57
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Christian Petracca)
09:00
The Demons have opened the game with five of the first six inside 50s, including the last four.
13:28
Demon recruit Michael Hibberd's five disposals have come at a perfect 100 per cent efficiency to start the game.
13:37
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
16:05
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Paddy Ryder)
17:19
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Dom Tyson)
17:43
Demons Interchange - Sam Frost off due to an injury.
18:06
The Power recorded 17 more clearances than the Kangaroos last round, their best differential recorded this season. Their performance in this area to start today's game has been extremely poor, where they trail Melbourne in clearances eight to one.
20:21
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jesse Hogan)
20:22
Jesse Hogan has now kicked a goal in five of his seven games in 2017.
23:54
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jeff Garlett)
25:36
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jeff Garlett)
26:02
Although he leads the Power in total disposals, Brett Ebert's eight have come at just 38 per cent efficiency.
26:43
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jeff Garlett)
29:31
The siren has sounded to end Q1.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:01
Melbourne's first quarter dominance is reflected in its efficiency. The Demons 125 disposals came at 74 per cent efficiency, compared to 86 disposals at 60 per cent for the Power.
00:56
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
02:59
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jesse Hogan)
05:50
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jesse Hogan)
05:58
Over the past four weeks, Melbourne has averaged 12 fewer contested possessions per game than its opposition, the second-worst differential recorded by a side. Today the Demons are dominating in this area, where they are up 65 to 44.
09:20
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Jarman Impey)
11:00
The battle between the two elite rucks, Gawn and Ryder, has been close as expected, with Ryder leading 14 hitouts to 13. However, Max Gawn is well in front in hitouts to the advantage to a teammate, six to three.
15:07
In a rare win for the Power, big man Justin Westhoff leads all players with three intercept marks.
18:22
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jeff Garlett)
19:47
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Dan Houston)
20:46
SCORE GOAL - Demons (James Harmes)
20:47
James Harmes' goal marks his tenth for the season, and first since the Demons Round 14 win over West Coast.
23:31
SCORE GOAL - Power (Justin Westhoff)
23:32
With less than four minutes remaining in the first half, Justin Westhoff has saved the Power from the first goalless half in their 21 season history.
24:42
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Rushed)
26:23
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
27:01
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jayden Hunt)
27:43
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Mitch Hannan)
28:47
SCORE GOAL - Power (Travis Boak)
30:39
SCORE GOAL - Power (Jackson Trengove)
31:51
The siren has sounded to end Q2.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:01
Leading first-half disposal winner was Melbourne's Dom Tyson with 21. However, his disposal efficiency was just 57 per cent, dragged down by a woeful 14 per cent kicking efficiency.
02:12
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Chad Wingard)
03:29
Demons Interchange - Max Gawn off due to an injury.
03:41
Rare since the introduction of the cap on interchanges, all 44 players in today's game spent time on the bench in the first half.
05:04
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Melksham)
06:10
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Chad Wingard)
09:15
SCORE GOAL - Power (Travis Boak)
09:29
Of 16 free kicks given away by Port Adelaide, six have been for holding the ball, and five for holding the man, easily the most common indiscretions by the Power.
10:17
Port Adelaide has four of the last five clearances along with four of the last five inside 50s, after struggling in both of these areas earlier in the game.
11:45
SCORE GOAL - Power (Chad Wingard)
15:05
In the last ten minutes the Power's disposal efficiency is significantly higher than Melbourne's, 76 per cent to 56 per cent.
17:41
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Melksham)
20:52
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Chad Wingard)
22:42
Power Interchange - Chad Wingard off due to an injury.
23:54
Since 2014, Robbie Gray has averaged team-highs of 12 contested possessions and six clearances per game against Melbourne. True to form, he leads the Power today with 13 contested possessions and seven clearances already.
26:08
SCORE GOAL - Power (Travis Boak)
28:06
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jeff Garlett)
30:01
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Rushed)
30:43
The siren has sounded to end Q3.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:01
Port Adelaide won the disposal count by 77 against North Melbourne last week. This week, the Power are highly unlikely to even win it, where the disposal ledger currently favours the Demons 334 to 264.
03:04
Power Interchange - Chad Wingard and is possibly out for the game.
03:15
SCORE GOAL - Power (Travis Boak)
03:48
The two players on the ground to have gained the most metres today are both Demons - Michael Hibberd with 673 and Jayden Hunt with 558. Next best on the ground is Port Adelaide's Robbie Gray with 385 metres gained.
05:25
SCORE GOAL - Power (Charlie Dixon)
05:26
Two majors from three fourth-term inside 50 entries see the Power reduce the margin to less than three goals.
08:13
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
14:19
In just his second game for the year, Port Adelaide's Logan Austin has a match-high nine spoils, with two going to the direct advantage of a teammate.
19:27
In spite of 11 inside 50s to five for the term, the Demons have only scored the one behind compared to two goals for Port Adelaide.
20:22
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Jarman Impey)
24:25
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Melksham)
24:26
After kicking 3.1 in a loss to Adelaide last week, Melbourne's Jake Melksham has three goals for the second time this year. He has kicked at least one major for seven straight weeks, after going goalless in his first seven.
25:33
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
26:18
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Christian Petracca)
27:50
SCORE GOAL - Power (Justin Westhoff)
31:23
The siren has sounded to end Q4.