SANFL 2006 ROUND 13:
PORT ADELAIDE v NORWOOD
Magpies back in action
By PETER ARGENT
A POWERFUL third term by Port Adelaide ensured a 60-point victory
against
“After being soundly beaten in the midfield the last week against South
this was an area where we controlled the game,” a pleased Magpies coach Tim Ginever said.
“With Daniel Elstone and Jeremy Clayton
around the ball and Clive Waterhouse and Mark Clayton giving us targets up
forward, the unit worked well, especially in the second half.
“Also our defence had a bit of a new look with Shane Morrison at full
back, and Matthew Lokan and Troy Butcher in defence.”
In fact, the Magpies had plenty of goal kicking options up forward,
with 11 players getting on the score sheet.
Waterhouse, Elstone and captain
Mark Clayton led the way with three each. In the absence of Ivan Maric, who is away with the Crows, James Meiklejohn continued to improve in his role as leading
ruckman, while Corey Ah Chee gave a strong presence
at centre half forward, taking nine marks.
Kristian De Pasquale was given the task of
minding the elusive and creative Scott Borlace and
shut the Redlegs playmaker out of the game.
The coming weeks see the Magpies as favourites to win against Sturt in
the late game of the double header this Saturday at Adelaide Oval, the Magpies
then have two critical games against fellow finals aspirants the Eagles and
North.
“It would be nice to think we could engineer the form slump in the
middle of the year, like they suggested we did in the 90s but we have five
teams looking for the double chance at the moment,” Ginever
said. “The team which shows the most consistency will get this opportunity.”
SCORES: Port
BEST: Port - Elstone,
Clayton, De Pasquale, Slattery, Butcher, Kingsley;
GOALS: Port - M. Clayton 3, Waterhouse
3, Elstone 3, Slattery 2, J. Clayton 2, Dolling 2, Poulton, Ah Chee, King, Meiklejohn, Harry;