Match

Port Adelaide vs Geelong Cats

Commentary / 21 Apr 2018

Pre Game

59:30

Welcome to Adelaide Oval for the Port Adelaide v Geelong Cats Round 5 clash.

59:33

Outs for Power: T.Rockliff, T.Marshall, T.McKenzie

59:34

Ins for Power: J.Neade, J.Hombsch, L.Thomas

59:35

Outs for Cats: Z.Guthrie, C.Gregson

59:36

Ins for Cats: J.Thurlow, J.Parsons

59:40

Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.

00:00

Port Adelaide has averaged 19 forward half intercepts and 21 points from these opportunities, which is ranked third last in both measures. In 2017 the Power were ranked second in both of these areas.

Quarter 1

00:00

Q1 is now underway.

01:41

The Cats started with six of the first seven disposals in the game, and ironically the only Port Adelaide player to have an early disposal was former Cat Steven Motlop.

03:45

A number of around the ground stoppages to start the game. Port Adelaide has averaged 68 such stoppages in its games, which is the second most of all teams.

05:15

Dougal Howard doing the early ruck work for the Power was involved in a career-high 54 ruck contests last round resulting in him winning a career-high 21 hitouts.

06:48

Mark Blicavs has started on Charlie Dixon and managed to neutralise a one-on-one contest. Dixon has won only 13 percent of his offensive one-on-one contests this season, which is the lowest percentage of the top-20 players to be involved in such contest

08:40

SCORE BEHIND - Power (Travis Boak)

08:56

The Power have had most of the early play with a 16-4 lead in marks and 7-2 advantage in inside 50 entries. Geelong is ranked second last for inside 50 differential this season.

09:30

SCORE BEHIND - Power (Robbie Gray)

12:45

Port Adelaide appears intent to deny Geelong control of the ball tonight. The Power now lead 50-22 in disposals and 24-6 marks. Geelong is the No.1 ranked team for mark differential this season.

13:35

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Esava Ratugolea)

15:29

The first forward 50 mark of the game, and the first goal of the game goes to the late inclusion Horlin-Smith despite Port Adelaide having early chances. Geelong has scored from 53 percent of its inside 50 entries this season (ranked first).

17:02

The second goal to the Cats was sourced from a centre bounce clearance from which Geelong has averaged 14 points this season (ranked third).

19:04

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Joel Selwood)

19:11

Geelong has generated the last six inside 50 entries and scored 2.2.(14) during this period of dominance. The Cats have also won the contested possession count 10-2 during this period.

20:42

SCORE GOAL - Power (Jake Neade)

23:37

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Sam Menegola)

24:01

All three goals to the Cats have come from set shots with Geelong leading forward 50 marks 4-0. Port Adelaide is ranked second for forward 50 mark differential this season, taking an average of 5.2 more such marks than its opposition.

30:47

Port Adelaide led 35-13 in short kicks and 41-16 in marks in the first quarter, but most of this was done in the back half with the Cats leading forward half marks 11-9 and forward half disposals 53-36.

Quarter 2

00:00

Q2 is now underway.

00:53

SCORE BEHIND - Power (Chad Wingard)

01:55

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jordan Murdoch)

02:50

Power Interchange - Hamish Hartlett off due to the blood rule.

06:18

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Lachie Fogarty)

06:29

An early goal in the second quarter to Lachie Fogarty following a forward 50 tackle (Geelong now leads 6-2 in such tackles). Fogarty averaged just under ten tackles per game in the TAC last season.

08:05

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Patrick Dangerfield)

09:17

The Cats lead the contested possession count 11-4 in the second quarter, and now lead 23-12 in loose ball gets.

10:02

SCORE GOAL - Power (Jake Neade)

10:34

Both of the goals kicked in the second quarter have come from forward half intercepts, after neither team kicked a goal from this source in the first quarter. The AFL average is 28 points per game from forward half intercepts.

13:09

Geelong has retained possession from 70 percent of its 20 forward 50 entries, while Port Adelaide has retained possession from only 53 percent of its 15 entries.

15:37

Geelong has had the ball in its forward half 63 percent of the game, while Port Adelaide has been in possession 56 percent of the time. Geelong is the No.1 ranked team for time in possession this year, but ranked second last for time in forward half.

18:44

Geelong lead forward half intercepts 13-6, but the Power lead in scores from this source 2.1.(13) to 1.1.(7) including the last goal to Lindsay Thomas.

19:45

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)

20:15

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Mitch Duncan)

22:44

Geelong has averaged 12.5 contested marks this season (ranked second), while Port Adelaide has averaged just 5.8 (ranked last). The Power currently lead 5-3 in this measure.

23:33

Cats Interchange - Scott Selwood and is possibly out for the game.

25:48

SCORE GOAL - Power (Robbie Gray)

26:00

Three consecutive goals to the Power with the Robbie Gray goal. Gray has been the target of four inside 50 entries (equal team-high), and won a team-high four clearances in an indication of his value both in the midfield and forward.

27:58

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Esava Ratugolea)

28:50

All five of the goals to Geelong have come from set shots. The Cats have generated 54 percent of their scores this season from such shots (ranked first).

32:32

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (James Parsons)

32:40

The Cats lead 23-16 in first possession wins at stoppages, but the clearances are even and the Power lead 14-10 in scores from stoppages.

34:22

SCORE BEHIND - Power (Charlie Dixon)

34:42

A torrid first half ends with the Power having eight of the last 11 inside 50 entries and a 23-9 advantage in uncontested possessions in the last ten minutes, but both teams scoring 1.1.(7) during this period of Power ascendancy.

Quarter 3

00:00

Q3 is now underway.

00:34

Port Adelaide is yet to score from any of its 24 defensive 50 chains. The Power average 17 points from these chains. Geelong has scored 2.1.(13) from its 21 defensive 50 chains.

01:27

SCORE GOAL - Power (Ollie Wines)

01:34

A forward 50 stoppage goal to Ollie Wines to start the third quarter. Port Adelaide average 11 points from this source (ranked second), while Geelong average just three points (ranked last).

02:42

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)

04:31

SCORE GOAL - Power (Sam Gray)

04:49

In the third quarter, Port Adelaide lead effective kicks 9-2, marks 5-0 and clearances 3-1, and has managed to get tow early goals to capitalise on this early momentum.

06:44

Port Adelaide leads the clearances 5-1 this quarter, and both of its goals this quarter have come from this source. The Power now lead 26-11 in scores from stoppages. Geelong is the No.1 ranked team in scores from stoppages this season.

11:17

SCORE GOAL - Cats (James Parsons)

11:34

Some clever play from Brandan Parfitt in providing the assist on the Parson goal. Parfitt recorded career-highs of 28 disposals, 16 contested possessions, seven inside 50s and three goals against St Kilda last round.

16:55

The Cats have scored from 41 percent of their forward half intercepts this season (ranked second), but tonight have scored just the 1.2.(8) from 15 such intercepts.

19:01

SCORE BEHIND - Power (Chad Wingard)

19:17

Port Adelaide now has a 13-5 lead in clearances during the third quarter, which is driving its advantage for time in forward half (69 percent).

21:20

Geelong has averaged 32 more disposals per game than its opposition this season (ranked No.1), but tonight has conceded 54 more disposals to Port Adelaide.

22:00

Cats Interchange - Jack Henry off due to an injury.

22:27

SCORE GOAL - Cats (James Parsons)

22:54

Three goals now to the Cats from defensive 50 chains after the second Parsons goal. Port Adelaide had seven consecutive inside 50 entries prior to this without scoring a goal.

26:03

Ollie Wines has averaged 21.4 disposals per game against Geelong across his career, which is his second-lowest return against any team. Tonight he currently has a game-high 24 disposals.

27:51

SCORE GOAL - Power (Karl Amon)

28:19

Port Adelaide now lead 17-8 in clearances during the third quarter, and all three of its goals in the quarter have come from this source.

28:59

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Sam Menegola)

32:20

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Daniel Menzel)

33:53

Geelong is continuing to have trouble converting first possession wins at stoppages into clearances. The Cats currently lead 40-33 in first possession wins, but trail 29-37 in clearances.

35:22

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Jordan Murdoch)

35:24

A handy late goal to the Cats following another forward 50 mark. Geelong lead 8-4 in this count and has scored seven of its eight goals from set shots.

Quarter 4

00:00

Q4 is now underway.

00:16

Port Adelaide has averaged 35 points per game from its defensive half intercepts this season (ranked third). The Power have not scored from this source tonight, with the Cats doing well to defend the Port Adelaide counter attack.

01:55

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Mitch Duncan)

02:05

A forward 50 stoppage goal to start the final quarter for the Cats as Ollie Wines is helped from the field. Duncan was able to benefit from a hitout to advantage in which the Cats lead 16-5.

02:19

Power Interchange - Ollie Wines off due to an injury.

05:18

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jake Kolodjashnij)

06:30

In the final quarter, Geelong has generated the first five inside 50 entries, and won the contested possession count 13-8.

07:38

SCORE BEHIND - Power (Jack Watts)

09:03

Power Interchange - Steven Motlop off due to the blood rule.

09:23

SCORE BEHIND - Power (Travis Boak)

12:15

Brad Ebert has again been hard working for the Power with a game-high 12 tackles, 14 contested possessions (including a game-high eight hardball gets), and has launched four scores for Port Adelaide.

15:46

SCORE GOAL - Cats (George Horlin-Smith)

16:48

The Power have scored from 49 percent of their inside 50 entries this season (ranked third). Tonight Port Adelaide has 14 scores from 21 entries, while Geelong has 21 scores from 47 entries.

17:24

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Daniel Menzel)

18:33

SCORE BEHIND - Power (Lindsay Thomas)

20:30

Cats Interchange - Mitch Duncan off due to an injury.

21:45

While Port Adelaide has a 51-35 advantage in hard ball gets, Geelong leads 65-47 in loose ball gets with its ability to outnumber and win these contests crucial.

26:02

Geelong has scored 4.1.(25) from defensive half intercepts, while Port Adelaide has scored just 0.1.(1) from its defensive half intercepts, with the Cats doing an excellent job to stall the ball movement of the Power.

27:51

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tim Kelly)

28:01

A clever snap goal from Tim Kelly who has again collected 20 disposals for the Cats in a very impressive first season. All three goals to the Cats in the final quarter have come from stoppages with the clearances being squared this quarter.

30:31

Sam Menegola has a career-high 18 contested possessions for the Cats tonight, including a game-high 10 loose-ball gets.

30:58

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Daniel Menzel)

32:22

Geelong recorded 67 long kicks and 57 short kicks, while Port Adelaide had just 58 long kicks and 98 short kicks with the more direct ball movement of the Cats winning out.