Elimination Final 2017

Port Adelaide v West Coast
Elimination Final, 2017

Shuey receives the crucial final free kick. Photo: aflphotos.com.au

Date

Sat, 9 Sept 2017 (7.20pm CST)

Venue

Adelaide Oval

Attendance

41,172

Result

Won by 2 (ET)

Score

WCE 12.6.78 - 10.16.76 P

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West Coast won an epic extra-time battle with Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval to keep their 2017 camppaign alive. The Eagles shot out of the blocks and opened up a 31 point lead in the second term before the Power fought back, narrowing the margin to within two goals before halftime and dominating general play to finally hit the front during the fourth quarter. The home side led by 9 points before goals to veterans Matt Priddis and Drew Petrie put West Coast back in front, with Port skipper Travis Boak tying the scores with a poster shortly before the end of regulation time. The Power again appeared to have opened up a match winning lead after kicking the first two goals of extra time, but two goals to Josh Kennedy brought the visitors within touching distance before Luke Shuey won a free kick in the dying moments and converted after the siren. Shuey's game-winner capped a best-afield performance, with the midfielder kicking two goals to go with 32 possessions.

Summary

		1/4 time		1/2 time		3/4 time		FT		Final (ET)
Port Adelaide		1.0.6		5.5.35		6.8.44		8.12.60		10.16.76
West Coast		4.2.26		7.4.46		7.5.47		9.6.60		12.6.78

Goals: Darling, Kennedy 3, Petrie, Shuey 2, Cripps, Priddis

Best: McGovern, Priddis, Petrie, Jetta, Shuey, Vardy

Injuries: Nil

Milestones: Darling 150th game, Partington final appearance

Named sides

	West Coast				Port Adelaide
B:	Hurn	MacKenzie	Barrass	B:	Pittard	Clurey	Houston
HB:	Yeo	McGovern	Sheppard	HB:	Byrne-Jones	Howard	Hartlett
C:	Duggan	Priddis	Gaff	C:	Westhoff	Wines	Polec
HF:	Redden	Darling	Jetta	HF:	S.Gray	Marshall	R.Gray
F:	Petrie	Kennedy	LeCras	F:	Impey	Dixon	Wingard
R:	Vardy	Mitchell	Shuey	R:	Ryder	Ebert	Boak
I:	Sheed	Cripps	Partington	I:	Powell-Pepper	Neade	Amon
	Hutchings				Bonner
E:	Masten	Wellingham	Schofield	E:	Young	Trengove	Johnson

No change.

Quarter by quarter

Both sides went in as named. The game was played in fine conditions in front of a vocal South Australian crowd.

First term

Petrie took a strong mark and hit Kennedy on the lead. His set shot drifted and was marked strongly by Darling on the behind line, who converted to open the scoring. LeCras was taken high and won a free kick, but sent it right. Darling then snapped his second as West Coast had all the momentum. Jetta delivered to Kennedy who had his arms chopped, with the big forward kicking truly to give the Eagles a 19-point early lead. A coast-to-coast Port move ended with Charlie Dixon who kicked the Power's first goal. Mitchell found Gaff who had a running shot but put it across the face for a behind.

Priddis was penalised for holding the ball at the bottom of a pack but Sam Powell-Pepper's shot was sprayed and spoiled into the behind post. After a lengthy scoring drought, a poor kick out of defensive 50 by Brad Ebert was intercepted by Petrie who goaled to extend his side's lead to 20 points. West Coast pressed forward as time expired but couldn't generate a scoring opportunity.

Second term

Kennedy gathered the ball from a marking contest and handballed to Shuey in space, who goaled to push the margin to 26 points. Port went forward quickly and the ball ended with Karl Amon but his set shot was narrow. Dixon added his second goal shortly afterwards from a free kick.

From the papers

The West Australian

"When Ollie Wines goaled eight minutes into the final term, Port was in front for the first time in the match and when Sam Powell-Pepper followed it up two minutes later, it looked done.

West Coast hadn’t kicked a goal for more than two quarters. But a couple of veterans weren’t ready to retire just yet.

Priddis and then Petrie each took marks inside 50 and converted. Adam Simpson might have thought about throwing Mitchell forward next.

Jeremy McGovern was heroic as he repelled the Power time and again."

The Age

"After trailing by 31 points midway through the second term, Port had clawed their way back to a 10-point lead in the last term only for the Eagles to delve into their greatest depths of grit.

It was a magnificent battle of coaching tactics, resilience from both sides and remarkable will to win. The third quarter delivered just one goal to Port – which the Eagles seemed unlucky not to have reversed after a review – but it was tense, pressure football with neither side prepared to work the ball inside in fear of giving the other an easy run to goal.

The coaches also played a huge part with a battle of tactics. Ken Hinkley started with a different move by playing Justin Westhoff as a sweeper, well behind the last Eagles forward in an effort to lessen the threat of their superior height in attack.

It stopped the Eagles from just "bombing" the ball in, but they still found a way early as there were wide cracks in Port's defence. While the Westhoff move seemed to have impact, playing regular wingman or midfielder Hamish Hartlett on Jack Darling had its concerns."

Injury list

In the leadup to the match the following players were listed as injured:

Player		Injury		Expected duration
Allen		Foot		Season
Lycett		Shoulder		Season
Butler		Shoulder		Season		(On LTI list 3/8/17)
Venables		Toe		Season
Naitanui		Knee		Late 2017 season		(On LTI list 21/3/17, replaced by Petrie)
Tunbridge*		Hamstring		Season

Links

http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2017/24/pa-v-wce

Braden Quartermaine, The West Australian (9 September 2017), "Luke Shuey’s kick after the siren gives Eagles heart-stopping win over Port Adelaide": https://thewest.com.au/sport/afl/luke-shueys-kick-after-the-siren-gives-eagles-heart-stopping-win-over-port-adelaide-ng-b88594660z

Ashley Porter, The Age (9 Septeber 2017), "Eagles power to win after tough draw": http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-match-report/eagles-power-to-win-after-tough-draw-20170909-gye9y0.html