West Coast has returned to the scene of last year’s epic elimination final win over Port Adelaide, and, as Anthony Hudson said about them 12 years ago, the sequel was just as good as the original, with an identical ending.
When the final siren sounded, West Coast had not led once all match, but Jeremy McGovern had the ball in his hands and kicked the game-winning goal.
Last year’s hero Luke Shuey stepped up in the absence of Andrew Gaff, and was huge with 31 disposals.
Port Adelaide led by as much as 28 points before a terrible spate of injuries rocked them in the third quarter, and although they looked as if they may be able to hold the Eagles off in the last quarter, they couldn’t quite.
West Coast were all at sea as the game kicked off.
Neither midfield looked particularly convincing in close, but when they got the opportunity to take the ball forward, Port Adelaide were far more efficient, and found targets with ease.
Robbie Gray had two by quarter-time, including a trademark snap from the boundary.
The home side’s pressure was also far better, and when they didn’t score, West Coast couldn’t take it forward very far, while the Eagles butchered their few inside 50s, still looking like they were struggling to adapt to Josh Kenendy’s absence.
Aidyn Johnson and Chad Wingard kicked goals, and it took over 20 minutes for the Eagles to get their first score, a brilliant roost from Elliot Yeo.
In the final minute, as it looked as though West Coast had avoided the ugly margin they probably deserved, Charlie Dixon responded for Port Adelaide with a towering mark in short range, to open up a four goal lead at the first change.
West Coast responded pretty well in the second quarter, keeping Port to just one goal.
Jared Polec was running riot for Port Adelaide, and resident tagger Mark Hutchings already had his hands full keeping Chad Wingard quiet.
However, Port Adelaide really struggled to take the ball far forward, and were eventually forced to move Robbie Gray, who had looked close to breaking the game open with his two first quarter goals, into the midfield.
Chris Masten drew first blood for the Eagles, who managed to slow the game down after Port’s barnstorming start.
Both ruckmen Scott Lycett and Nathan Vardy spent large chunks of the quarter off the ground with head and knee concerns respectively, and Tom Rockliff also had shoulder concerns, highlighting the intensity of the contest.
Luke Shuey it was who lifted for the Eagles, and led his side to 17 inside 50s for the quarter, although they still struggled badly for marks.
Kane Farrell kicked the Power’s only goal for the quarter, as Jack Watts streaked through the centre, capping a terrific transition passage of play.
West Coast had probably had the better of the quarter, but it took until 30 seconds to go before Jamie Cripps finally gave them an edge, scoring their second for the quarter after a play on from Liam Ryan nearly went awry.
The half-time score was 6.2 to just 3.2, and there was always going to be an increase in scoring in the third quarter as the game started to break open.
Jamie Cripps kept the Eagles’ momentum going with his second, but then Aidyn Johnson, who was surprisingly effective in his defensive role on Jeremy McGovern, snagged his second and then his third.
Paddy Ryder pushed the margin out to 28, and suddenly the game was slipping away from West Coast, but then he went off the ground with a mysterious injury, and he didn’t return.
Jamie Cripps kicked his third, to keep West Coast hanging in, and then he set up the recalled Dom Sheed for another.
Then followed an absolute carnage-filled 30-seconds.
Charlie Dixon rolled his ankle in a marking contest, and then Dan Houston suffered an ugly head clash with Brendon Ah Chee, and both Power players didn’t return.
West Coast’s midfield was now well on top, predictably led by Shuey and Yeo, and with Ryder and Dixon now on the bench the opportunity to stretch Port Adelaide for height presented itself.
Port Adelaide looked to have kicked a goal without a moment in the quarter to spare, but as the ball darted through, the umpire paid a free kick to Tom Cole for a high bump, and the margin remained at 15 heading into the last quarter.
Jack Watts had played a very good game on likely All Australian Shannon Hurn, but as the Eagles swung Jeremy McGovern forward to start the final quarter, Jack Watts went back too.
The final quarter began at a frenetic pace, but it took a while for the first score, which was a behind to Robbie Gray.
Shortly afterwards Liam Ryan took an epic mark in the forward pocket, which could go very close to being the mark of the year, and crucially, he went back and nailed a tough set shot to bring the margin back to 10.
Since the first quarter Port Adelaide had desperately struggled to get the ball forward, and the Eagles were now peppering the goals.
They registered three behinds over the next five minutes, but also had an out on the full, a shot marked right on the line, and a tenuous free kick as Ryan ran in towards another shot.
Port Adelaide had chances going forward for the last few minutes, but didn’t capitalise, and at last, with 43 seconds left on the clock Mark LeCras brought the margin back to two points.
West Coast muscled the ball forward from the ensuing stoppage, and incredibly, Jeremy McGovern took a mark, and had the chance to win the game for the Eagles after the siren.
While Luke Shuey’s post-siren kick last year was never in doubt, McGovern’s started right, but just like his side all night, found a way home when it never looked likely.
After a week of tumult, this extraodinary win leaves West Coast nearly unbackable favourites to finish inside the top two, while Port Adelaide still have a fight on their hands simply to qualify for finals, starting with a very tough assignment against Collingwood at the MCG next week.
PORT ADELAIDE 5.1 6.2 9.2 9.4 (58)
WEST COAST 1.1 3.2 6.5 9.8 (62)
BEST
Port Adelaide: Howard, Johnson, Ebert, Jonas, Gray, Polec
West Coast: Shuey, Yeo, Barrass, Lycett, LeCras, Cripps
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Johnson 3, R Gray 2, Farrel, Ryder, Dixon, Wingard
West Coast: Cripps 3, Yeo, Ryan, LeCras, Masten, Sheed, McGovern
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Ryder, Dixon, Houston
West Coast:
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