Match

Melbourne vs Port Adelaide

Commentary / 23 Mar 2019

Pre Game

00:00
Melbourne won the time in forward half differential by 10 minutes and 33 seconds per game last season, the best differential of any team, and it won the inside 50 by 14 per game, also ranked No.1.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
05:18
The Power have failed to go inside 50 from four chains starting in their defensive 50.
06:05
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Tom McDonald)
06:15
The Dees boot the first goal for the game, sourced from an intercept. Melbourne scored 65 points per game from intercepts in 2018, the second-most in the competition.
07:46
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Tom Sparrow)
07:56
Melbourne has recorded the last seven inside 50s and lead this count 7-1.
09:26
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Todd Marshall)
11:29
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Angus Brayshaw)
11:39
All three of Melbourne's goals have come from intercepts.
13:44
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Alex Neal-Bullen)
14:47
SCORE GOAL - Power (Travis Boak)
14:57
Travis Boak kicks his team's first goal, sourced from a clearance. The Power has won two clearances with both launching scores.
16:52
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
17:32
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Melksham)
17:42
Both teams have won 13 intercept possessions with the Dees generating their entire score from this source.
19:24
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Alex Neal-Bullen)
20:49
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Travis Boak)
21:32
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Robbie Gray)
24:39
Port Adelaide has recorded a tackle efficiency of just 52 per cent, 14 per cent lower than the AFL average last season.
25:49
SCORE GOAL - Power (Todd Marshall)
27:31
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Paddy Ryder)
29:05
Christian Salem was the most prolific player in the first term, gaining a quarter-high 308 metres from 12 disposals.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
03:35
SCORE GOAL - Power (Justin Westhoff)
03:45
The Power has now sourced four scores, including that goal to Justin Westhoff, from six clearances. Port Adelaide scored 29 points per game from this source in 2018, ranked 13th.
08:08
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
08:18
The Dees have already grabbed seven marks inside 50. Port Adelaide conceded just eight marks per game in this zone last season, the fewest of any side in the competition.
10:20
SCORE GOAL - Power (Zak Butters)
10:30
Port Adelaide is on top aroound the stoppages this quarter, leading the clearance count 5-2 and kicking two goals to no score from this source.
13:48
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Sam Powell-Pepper)
15:43
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Sam Powell-Pepper)
17:27
SCORE GOAL - Power (Zak Butters)
17:37
Another goal from a clearance for the Power. All three of their goals this quarter, and four for the game, have come from this source.
19:08
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Xavier Duursma)
19:18
The game is being played in Port Adelaide's forward half this quarter. The Power have recorded 36 disposals in this zone, 23 more than Melbourne.
21:48
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Rushed)
22:39
SCORE GOAL - Power (Xavier Duursma)
24:03
Clayton Oliver has attended a team-high 10 centre bounces and won an equal game-high three centre clearances. Oliver won 66 centre clearances last season, ranked No.1 at the club and 19 more than any other Dee.
24:41
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Christian Petracca)
26:18
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (James Harmes)
26:45
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Sam Weideman)
31:01
The Power recorded a tackle efficiency of 74 per cent in the second quarter, an 18 per cent improvement on the first quarter.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
02:36
SCORE GOAL - Power (Justin Westhoff)
02:46
Port Adelaide has recorded the first two clearances, four inside 50s, and now first goal of the third term.
04:32
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Nathan Jones)
06:05
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Melksham)
06:15
Back to back goals for the Dees, both from intercepts. They have outscored Port Adelaide by 29 points from this source.
07:46
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Sam Weideman)
07:56
Melbourne lead the centre clearance count by six (12-6) and it has scored the only two goals from this source. The Dees scored 16 points per game from centre clearances last season, ranked No.1.
10:23
SCORE GOAL - Power (Justin Westhoff)
14:05
SCORE GOAL - Power (Brad Ebert)
14:15
Brad Ebert has grabbed two marks inside 50. He grabbed just three marks in this zone in 22 games last season.
19:32
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Angus Brayshaw)
20:38
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Robbie Gray)
23:26
Tom Rockliff has recorded a quarter-high 10 disposals to go with equal quarter-highs for contested possessions (three) and tackles (two).
26:08
Power Interchange - Xavier Duursma off due to an injury.
26:24
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Christian Petracca)
26:34
The Dees have generated seven shots at goal from eight inside 50s this quarter, but they've booted just three goals.
28:21
Port Adelaide has kicked the last three goals, all from intercepts.
30:47
Superior ball use allowed Port Adelaide to continue to dominate on the outside in the third term. The Power recorded 11 more effective kicks and 25 more uncontested possessions.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
01:31
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Travis Boak)
03:44
Jack Watts has won seven intercept possessions, including a game-high three intercept marks.
04:36
SCORE GOAL - Power (Justin Westhoff)
06:39
SCORE GOAL - Power (Justin Westhoff)
06:49
Travis Boak has attended a team-high 14 centre bounces and won two centre clearances with his second launching his team's first goal from this source. Boak attended just 48 centre clearances from 22 games last season.
09:08
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Rushed)
14:00
Power Interchange - Todd Marshall and is possibly out for the game.
16:29
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Ryan Burton)
18:18
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Sam Powell-Pepper)
18:28
Sam Powell-Pepper has scored three behinds from a game-high six shots at goal.
20:13
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Robbie Gray)
20:33
Christian Salem has recorded a career-high 32 disposals, gaining a game-high 741 metres, which is also a career-high.
24:38
SCORE BEHIND - Power (Ryan Burton)
25:26
Melbourne has taken just seven intercept marks, its lowest tally since Round 1 last season.
28:20
Port Adelaide has overcome a quick start from Melbourne and kicked 12 of the last 18 goals, including the last five, to win by 26 points.
28:30
The ageless Justin Westhoff was flawless, booting a game-high five goals as well as working hard defensively and winning six intercept possessions.