Port Adelaide Power used speed and wet weather grunt to comprehensively thrash the West Coast Eagles at Optus Stadium. The Eagles fielded a team unsuited to the conditions. It was cold, wet and windy and a team loaded with three tall forwards and two ruckmen, would always struggle in the slippery conditions. The Power lacked the height of the Eagles but they made up for it with midfield muscle and quick ball movement.
Thursday night saw Geelong continue its early season dominance with a stirring win over Adelaide, the upstart Brisbane Lions stormed home to defeat the vastly improved Port Adelaide and the Grand Final replay saw the Eagles once again victorious over a disappointing Collingwood.
Highly fancied Melbourne are yet to register a win after faltering against Essendon, the much maligned Gold Coast Suns won again, and Richmond added a couple more players to its ever increasing injury list in a big loss to an impressive Greater Western Sydney Giants at Spotless Stadium.
The Fremantle Dockers took advantage of the wet and slippery conditions at Optus Stadium to defeat Port Adelaide Power by nine points. The win meant little but pride for the Dockers, but it cost the Power a potential second spot on the ladder. As a result of the shock loss, the stunned Power have plummeted to fifth place on the ladder. The game was not pretty and was made difficult by the combination of rain and swirling winds. With their bigger and more mature bodies the visitors won more contested possessions; but the Dockers had raw hunger and pushed more players to the ball. Port could not initiate their running game as their playmakers were cramped and chased by desperate Docker tacklers.
by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago
Sydney may have lost the Grand Final to Hawthorn, but Coach John Longmire enjoyed an individual victory over opposition Coach Alistair Clarkson when he was named Coach of the Year, winning the Allan Jeans award by one vote over Clarkson just a few days before the Grand Final. It is the second win for Longmire, the previous award coming in 2012. Port Coach Ken Hinkley won in 2013.
Jamie Kloeden reporting for AFANA from the MCG, Australia
After a terrific game earlier in the day between Fremantle and Geelong, expectations of such a formidable contest in the nightcap were not quite so high in some quarters. Collingwood went in as strong favorites against the young Ken Hinkley led Port Adelaide outfit. During the week, comments from President Eddie McGuire about where the Magpies would be playing in the Semi Final (inferring they would have no problem overcoming Port in the Elimination Final) did not go unnoticed by the Power players who started the game with intent and certainly looked like they had something to prove.
Brook “Boris” Kilpatrick reporting from AAMI Stadium in Adelaide
Coming off three losses in a row, Richmond was desperate to arrest the slide with a win on the road against the surprisingly 5-1 Port Adelaide Power. Despite losing for the first time this season in Round 6, the Power had gained plenty of admirers after a narrow loss in Tasmania to a dogged North Melbourne outfit. If the Tigers were to cause an upset, it would be without 2012 Brownlow Medal runner-up and Captain Trent Cotchin who succumbed to knee soreness and was declared unfit for the game. Ty Vickery and Ricky Petterd were also added to an increasing Tiger injury list, while Dom Cassisi was a late out for the Power. The bookies had Port backed into firm favorites early in the week, no doubt on the back of the withdrawal of Cotchin.
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