Match

Port Adelaide vs Geelong Cats

Commentary / 15 Jun 2023

Pre Game

00:00

The Cats have been involved in the highest scoring matches this season with an average of 182 points across their games.

Quarter 1

00:00

Q1 is now underway.

00:17

SCORE BEHIND - Power (Connor Rozee)

01:31

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Gary Rohan)

01:51

Gary Rohan kicks the opening goal for Geelong. The Cats have enjoyed recent success at Adelaide Oval, winning three of their last four matches at the venue, their only defeat coming at the hands of the Power in the qualifying final in 2021.

02:54

Cats Interchange - Tom Atkins off due to an injury.

04:47

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Brad Close)

04:56

After conceding the opening centre bounce clearance and subsequent inside 50 to the Power it has been all Geelong to start the match. The Cats have the last four inside 50s of the match for two goals from just 12 disposals. Geelong has scored a goal every 23 disposals this season, ranked No. 1.

06:49

SCORE GOAL - Power (Zak Butters)

09:37

SCORE BEHIND - Power (Josh Sinn)

10:15

SCORE BEHIND - Power (Quinton Narkle)

12:33

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)

14:28

SCORE BEHIND - Power (Darcy Byrne-Jones)

15:33

Power Interchange - Zak Butters off due to an injury.

15:47

SCORE BEHIND - Power (Todd Marshall)

17:19

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)

18:50

In what has been a very even contest to date, Geelong is on top of the uncontested possession count by 16. The Cats rank 14th for uncontested possession differential this season, averaging 12 fewer per game than their opposition.

19:51

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Gary Rohan)

20:51

The Cats have been the more efficient side forward of centre, kicking three goals from 13 forward 50 entries, a strike rate of 22 per cent, compared to Port Adelaide's one goal from 11 entries, a strike rate of nine per cent.

21:43

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Gary Rohan)

22:22

Gary Rohan has been the difference in the match to date with five disposals at 80 per cent efficiency, three contested possessions and most importantly, three goals.

27:47

SCORE GOAL - Power (Ryan Burton)

28:12

Geelong's forward half pressure has been fantastic in the opening term, registering 12 tackles in its forward half of the ground, compared to five from the Power. The Cats also lead front half contested possessions by six.

29:17

SCORE BEHIND - Power (Charlie Dixon)

29:58

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tom Hawkins)

31:45

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)

32:44

The story of the opening quarter was forward halt efficiency. The Power generated a score from 53 per cent of their inside 50s, where as Geelong generated a score from just 42 per cent of its entries, but the Cats made these scores count, kicking a goal from 32 per cent of their entries compared to the Power's 13 per cent.

Quarter 2

00:00

Q2 is now underway.

04:12

Port Adelaide has registered the first five inside 50s of the quarter, yet have only one total disposal inside its forward 50 to show for it.

08:00

Finally the Power get rewarded for their territorial dominance with a goal to Todd Marshall. They had generated the first eight inside 50s and had enjoyed 89 per cent time in forward half to begin the term, yet Marshall's goal was only Port Adelaide's second effective disposal inside forward 50 for the term.

11:23

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Zach Tuohy)

13:52

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tom Hawkins)

14:03

For all their dominance this quarter, the Power have been outscored by the Cats. Port Adelaide has one goal from nine forward 50 entries, while the Cats have scored from their only two entries of the quarter, kicking 1.1.7.

15:39

Cats Interchange - Tanner Bruhn off due to an injury.

17:27

SCORE BEHIND - Power (Todd Marshall)

19:31

Both teams have struggled to move the ball from defensive 50 to forward 50. Port Adelaide have launched 18 possession chains from defensive 50 for just one inside 50, while Geelong has only fared marginally better with three inside 50s from 23 defensive 50 chains.

21:09

SCORE BEHIND - Power (Rushed)

24:36

SCORE GOAL - Power (Quinton Narkle)

24:58

Quinton Narkle has been important in the second quarter in his first game for the Power against his former side. The ex-Cat has totalled a team-high eight disposals and a goal for the term.

26:15

SCORE GOAL - Power (Jeremy Finlayson)

27:23

Cats Interchange - Mark Blicavs off due to the blood rule.

28:31

Port Adelaide clawed its way back into the contest in the latter part of the term. The Power used the ball far better by foot in the second quarter, recording a kicking efficiency of 70 per cent in the second term, compared to 59 per cent in the first quarter.

Quarter 3

00:00

Q3 is now underway.

02:09

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Patrick Dangerfield)

05:44

SCORE GOAL - Power (Sam Powell-Pepper)

08:11

SCORE GOAL - Power (Jeremy Finlayson)

10:14

SCORE GOAL - Power (Todd Marshall)

10:30

Port Adelaide have five of the first six clearances of the third quarter, kicking 3.0.18 from these clearances. It has been an even battle from stoppage for the match, the Power leading the clearances by three for the match and outscoring the Power 4.2.26 to 4.1.25 from this source. Port Adelaide ranks No.1 in scores from stoppage this season, while Geelong is ranked second.

11:24

SCORE GOAL - Power (Darcy Byrne-Jones)

11:45

That is now six clearances to one in Port Adelaide's favour for the quarter and 4.1.25 to 1.0.6 from this score source for the term. They lead the Cats 27 disposals to three for the term and six inside 50s to one.

15:14

SCORE BEHIND - Power (Charlie Dixon)

16:50

SCORE GOAL - Power (Willem Drew)

17:00

The Power lead inside 50s nine to one, clearances eight to one, uncontested possession 24 to nine and have kicked 5.1.31 from just 41 disposals in a withering burst of football. Port Adelaide has a disposal efficiency of 82 per cent for the quarter.

20:14

SCORE GOAL - Power (Todd Marshall)

21:51

SInce the 23-minute mark of the second quarter, Port Adelaide has scored a remarkable 8.1.49 from 60 disposals, a goal for every 7.5 disposals. To put this in perspective, Geelong has scored a goal from every 23 disposals this season, ranked No.1 in the competition.

24:05

Cats Interchange - Tom Atkins off due to the blood rule.

24:30

SCORE GOAL - Power (Jeremy Finlayson)

25:24

The Power lead the tackle count 22 to five this quarter and have a pressure rating of 254 compared to Geelong's 162. The league average pressure rating this season is 180 to put this remarkable quarter into perspective.

27:15

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Oliver Henry)

31:57

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Mark O'Connor)

32:49

Geelong has steadied in the last six minutes, winning the uncontested possession count by 12, denying the Power the ball and allowing them to play the ball in their half. The Cats have recorded the last five inside 50s of the match and have kicked the last two goals of the contest.

33:50

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Tyson Stengle)

35:40

Both teams have built their game tonight off repeat inside 50s and scoring from forward half intercepts. Port Adelaide has 22 forward half intercepts yielding 5.5.35, while Geelong has 20 forward half intercepts for 4.1.25.

Quarter 4

00:00

Q4 is now underway.

01:55

In what may have been a surprise to some, Miles Bergman has had the important matchup on Cats star Jeremy Cameron. The young Power defender has been instrumental in keeping Cameron to just eight disposals at 13 per cent efficiency, his only effective disposal a first quarter goal.

02:29

SCORE BEHIND - Power (Darcy Byrne-Jones)

03:36

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Isaac Smith)

05:32

SCORE GOAL - Power (Sam Powell-Pepper)

07:11

Port Adelaide has averaged 41 points per game from stoppages this season, ranked No.1. This has come to the fore in the second half tonight, with the Power leading clearances 20 to seven since half time and outscoring the Cats 6.0.36 to 1.0.6 from this source over the time period.

10:09

SCORE GOAL - Power (Quinton Narkle)

10:45

Todd Marshall has played an important forward half role for the Power tonight. Thirteen of Marshall's 14 disposals have been in the front half, with the Power spearhead registering a team-high eight score involvements and 3.2.20 himself.

12:13

SCORE BEHIND - Power (Ollie Wines)

13:50

Since quarter time, Port Adelaide leads forward 50 tackles 14 to one. Latest goal scorer Jed McEntee leads all comers with five forward 50 tackles.

16:13

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Oliver Henry)

18:00

SCORE BEHIND - Power (Rushed)

22:23

Dan Houston has had another fantastic game in what has been an underrated year. He has a game-high 29 disposals with a kicking efficiency of 88 per cent, six clearances, five inside 50s and almost 600 metres gained.

24:18

SCORE BEHIND - Power (Willem Drew)

25:17

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Tom Hawkins)

26:12

Port Adelaide leads the contested possession count by six tonight. While they only rank 12th for contested possession differential this season, they have won all six games prior to tonight when they have won the contested possession count. In fact, they have won all 11 games this season when they have got within 14 contested possessions of their opposition.

27:01

SCORE BEHIND - Power (Rushed)

28:18

It was a dominant second half for the Power, who outscored Geelong 11.6.72 to 4.3.27 after half time. They smashed the Cats at stoppage 26 to nine, outscoring Geelong 6.1.37 to 1.0.6 from this source. It was an even performance with Willem Drew, Ollie Wines, Dan Houston and Scott Lycett all recording four or more second half clearances. WInes in particular had a huge second half with 15 disposals, eight contested possessions, four clearances and four tackles.