Finlayson marks in front of Lever 45m out on the flank but hooks it right and OOTF. (Q1 1:18)
Chandler marks 40m out on the flank, the ump sees a block by Houston off the ball, the Port fans hoot but it’s a 50m penalty and the first goal of the evening. (Q1 3:32)
After Boak catches Petracca HTB in the centre, Wines marks a Butters pass 45m out in front and chooses a pass to the flank for Bonner 45m out. Bonner’s set shot falls short… (Q1 6:19)
Powell-Pepper roves that DBJ kick and snaps over his head from 10m out, Rivers nearby so there’s a review but it’s confirmed as Port’s first goal. (Q1 7:15)
Farrell spoils a Brayshaw kick to Pickett 20m out in front, pack forms around them, McDonald wins the hard footy and tumbles a snap under an Aliir tackle but it skids wide left. (Q1 9:29)
Langdon marks a Petracca pass 45m out in front after good ground work by Van Rooyen on outer wing, his set shot is poor and wide right. (Q1 13:23)
Butters bursts through a tackle on the wing, runs past Brayshaw and passes hard and low to Lord 40m out in the corridor…. but he also misses. (Q1 14:34)
Light rain starting to fall in Adelaide. Pressure good by both sides, Port have turned up tonight. (Q1 17:06)
Okay, maybe that rain is getting heavier. (Q1 17:34)
Wines passes to Boak running forward of Langdon to just inside 50m on the flank. Boak tries a pass that goes to grass, no score results. (Q1 22:34)
Chandler picks up a skidding inside 50 by Hunter on the boundary 35m out and tries a quick snap off the left, he cops the Bronxies from the Port faithful as it flies OOTF. (Q1 24:04)
Burton’s chase forces Viney to kick to DBJ on a rebound, repeat inside 50 to the hotspot is spoiled towards the pocket but straight to Finlayson who snaps the goal from 25m. (Q1 25:14)
Rivers intercepts at half back but his low kick is straight to Rozee who goes quickly to Finlayson on the fat side 40m out on a slight angle. Dorsal misses to the left. (Q1 26:34)
Horne-Francis roves outside the hotspot and gets caught high by Hibberd. QT siren goes, JHF brings the soggy crowd to life with a nice set shot for the goal. (Q1 29:04)
Butters goes long to the pocket where Burton marks in front of Hibberd 20m out on a slight angle for the first goal of Q3. Lead starting to get significant now. (Q2 1:03)
Drew runs away from the next bounce and goes to Powell-Pepper 50m out on a slight angle, too far for SPP so he tries a set up kick that doesn’t work. (Q2 2:12)
Gawn’s blind dump kick up the guts is over the head of Neal-Bullen to the arms of Houston 45m out. Houston misses to the right. (Q2 3:32)
Rozee clears behind a stoppage on the HFF to Bonner who glides to his left and shoots from 50m on a slight angle… wide left. (Q2 6:32)
Fritsch marks a Chandler pass near the boundary 45m out after a long rebound, a rarity for the Demons tonight. The set shot falls in the square and is eventually rushed. (Q2 8:34)
Houston is better on the snap and he kicks a big goal from 45m out in front after Butters sharked an ill-advised handball by Oliver at a stoppage. (Q2 11:32)
Van Rooyen picks up the cake of soap in a pack 40m out on the flank and tries a checkside off a few steps, the wet ball doesn’t curl, behind to the left. (Q2 14:12)
Rozee marks a short Horne-Francis ball on the HFF and gives outside to Farrell who hasn’t got the leg with a heavy ball from 55m, drops in the square for May to rush. (Q2 15:14)
McVee gives to Spargo with his back to goal at CHF, he jinks clear, turns and sees Fritsch leading freely to 25m on a slight angle. Fritsch converts with a low bullet. (Q2 16:52)
Langdon volleys a crumb OOB 40m out from Port’s goals after a stoppage, ump rightly pays insufficient intent. Butters’ free kick hooks OOTF. (Q2 19:43)
Oliver gives away an extremely obvious front-on contact free to Wines sitting under a Williams kick to 25m in the pocket. Wines hooks it left. (Q2 21:38)
Brayshaw kicks long from a stoppage on the wing towards CHF where Fritsch marks in front of McKenzie. The set shot is a peach with a heavy ball! (Q2 26:37)
May fumbles a ground ball under pressure at half forward, Rozee pounces and passes to the fat side for Bonner who goes to Byrne-Jones 35m out on a slight angle. DBJ hits the post. (Q2 28:43)
Powell-Pepper soccers from a stoppage near the hotspot to the top of the square where Lord is in front of Lever and marks in light rain, he kicks his first goal. (Q3 1:19)
McDonald marks at the hotspot in front of Jonas for the quick replying goal. (Q3 3:34)
Finlayson roves in the pocket but gets caught HTB by Rivers coming in from behind to prevent a score. (Q3 5:02)
Fritsch keeps a ground ball alive deep in the pocket, Spargo roves and feeds Petracca who shrugs out of a Williams challenge and tries a Daicos special from 15m… no good. (Q3 7:49)
Hunter’s dump kick from the back pocket is straight to Butters on his own 45m out on a slight angle. Butters has had a big night, even better with this set shot pearler! (Q3 9:54)
Burton marks a Byrne-Jones kick to the flank 45m out. Driving rain falling, Burton’s set shot is a boomer but wide left. (Q3 11:54)
Petracca has had a very quiet night but he is the man to keep his feet while all others lose theirs going for a ground ball 35m out on the flank, he checksides the goal. (Q3 13:04)
McDonald feeds Chandler on the HFF who kicks to the pocket for Van Rooyen 15m out, he converts. (Q3 15:56)
Port have been all over Melbourne all game but never quite put enough of their dominance on the scoreboard. This would be thievery if Naarm got up. (Q3 16:30)
Bit of surge footy after the next bounce by Melbourne gets the ball to half forward, Neal-Bullen gives behind to Oliver who passes to Petracca 20m out in the pocket… for a miss. (Q3 17:55)
Pickett marks 40m out on a slight angle, plays on and delivers a fabulous finish off the right, worthy of the deadly celebration! (Q3 19:50)
Oliver gets a free at the next bounce, kick to a big pack 20m out, Viney roves and is smothered, ball falls for Spargo who spins and puts the Dees into the lead! (Q3 20:57)
Farrell goes up for an intercept mark at the hotspot but drops it in very tough conditions, Hunter stays down to rove and snap a fantastic goal from near the behind post! (Q3 27:10)
Lycett is pinged twice for contact in ruck in three minutes, the second on Grundy 35m out on a slight angle. Grundy sails through the goal and shushes the chuntering teal horde. (Q3 30:54)
Rivers is pinged for a jumper hold on Butters 40m out on the flank after a stoppage. 3QT siren goes, Port needs this desperately… Butters delivers with style! (Q3 33:26)
Butters zooms onto the crumb at a stoppage on the flank 25m out, Brayshaw catches him high but he shanks the free kick for no score. (Q4 1:19)
Drew roves after a mad scramble from a stoppage but misses off the left from 20m on a slight angle. (Q4 4:36)
Van Rooyen is dumped by Finlayson after rebounding then drops him in return, ump sees the second one and pays an off-ball free, Dorsal converts the charity free from 30m! (Q4 6:24)
Port had Q3 off but they have returned for Q4, now it’s an arm wrestle. Or a jelly wrestle. (Q4 7:16)
Powell-Pepper misses a long-range snap, Port is now back in control of clearances after going to sleep in Q3. (Q4 7:54)
Finlayson marks just on 50m on a slight angle after Viney is pinged for a trip on Horne-Francis in the centre. Dorsal misses wide left. (Q4 9:59)
Horne-Francis is involved twice pumping the ball inside 50 then intercepting the rebound for the repeat, Butters goes to McEntee 35m out in front… who misses. (Q4 11:28)
Butters roves at half forward and kicks across CHF to the fat side for Williams 50m out on a slight angle. The set shot is a dirty shank… but Lord marks near the behind post! (Q4 12:56)
Port a point behind, Lord to kick with the clock below 11:00… he checksides the go-ahead goal! (Q4 13:16)
The dump kick from a defensive stoppage just has not worked tonight, this time it’s Horne-Francis who coughs it up straight to Hunter 40m out on the flank… poor kick, rushed. (Q4 16:43)
Evans kicks into Petracca on the mark on the wing, Trac regathers and sets up McDonald’s mark 40m out on the flank, he kicks the goal to restore Naarm’s lead! (Q4 17:56)
Petracca clears long from the next bounce, Grundy can’t mark but Chandler gets a chance on the run from hard in the pocket 25m out… checkside is narrow. (Q4 19:10)
Butters wins a loose footy on the HFF in heavy traffic and gets slung around the neck by Van Rooyen 45m out, obvious free. Zak is going to have to do it all himself… (Q4 21:32)
The set shot fades left. (Q4 21:57)
5:18 to go and this game is anyone’s. Like a basketball game where they start at 90-90 with two minutes left. (Q4 22:19)
Repeat inside 50 for Port, Byrne-Jones’ snap from the pocket skews to the top of the square, Horne-Francis mops up and gives outside to Rozee, goal Port and the lead back! (Q4 23:12)
4:40 to go and it’s a shootout in heavy rain! (Q4 23:32)
Well actually, the rain is easing a little. (Q4 24:04)
Chandler gives to Fritsch after Viney kicks towards the hotspot but the snap across the body off the left from 35m is wide right. (Q4 24:57)
Rozee drives the ball to the HFF, Powell-Pepper forces a stoppage then roves it, snap from 45m on the boundary is a point. (Q4 26:02)
Three minutes to go and the jelly has turned into sludge, it’s just a slopfest. (Q4 26:57)
Viney gives away a free for taking out the legs of Houston with a studs up tackle, that would be a red card in soccer… but Lever intercepts at half back plus a 50m penalty! 2:10. (Q4 28:03)
Petracca roves at half forward and goes to the pocket but Burton intercepts to relieve. 1:40 to go and Port have to hold on. (Q4 28:37)
Jonas roves the next kick to the pocket in relief after Hibberd starts an attack. 1:00. (Q4 29:18)
Rozee intercepts behind the wing, Port’s numbers are telling. (Q4 29:37)
Throw in on outer wing, Naarm looking out of ideas, 37 seconds. (Q4 29:57)
Wines roves, Houston kicks OOTF, deliberate, 25 seconds left! (Q4 30:19)
Another throw in at half forward for Naarm, 14 seconds to go. (Q4 30:35)
Powell-Pepper roves Lycett’s tap, Port wins! (Q4 30:47)
