TRENDING: Port Adelaide prevails in a close preseason match.

At Alberton on Friday night, following six periods of match simulation, the Power emerges victorious over the Crows.

After a strong pre-season match simulation exercise, Adelaide was defeated by PORT ADELAIDE.

The Power won 22 points in a twilight match that was spread over six quarters at the renovated Alberton Oval. As the competition for Round 1 places intensifies, several players stood out for the Power.

Although 10 players were substituted out after the third quarter and the majority of the Port Adelaide team only played for four quarters, the match was evenly matched, with both teams experiencing spurts of action. The Power emerged victorious, winning 21.12 (138) to 17.14 (116).

And even though it was an unofficial preseason hit-out intended mainly to test the game plan, try players in various places, and get minutes into individual players, the crowd of 4298 witnessed an exciting evening filled with genuine physicality.

Riley Thilthorpe and Darcy Fogarty scored the opening two goals of the game for the Crows, taking advantage of a gusty breeze and their nearly similar starting positions in the pocket.

Things heated up when Mitch Hinge dumped Zak Butters and Sam Powell-Pepper met Crow Mark Keane with sheer power to send the Irishman off the field after Charlie Dixon marked strongly over the top of an opponent and booted truly.

Along with other mids Ollie Wines and Connor Rozee, Butters was beginning to acquire more of the ball in the middle. Port dominated the second half of the first half, and goals from McEntee and Rozee gave Port a five-point advantage at the half.

Darcy Byrne-Jones, a previous leadership player, scored two goals in the first four minutes of the second quarter as a forward. The second goal came when Hinge dropped the ball straight into his path.

Powell-Pepper then joined in, bursting through a ruck struggle without losing his footing to dribble home a beautiful goal. Port’s lead was extended to 19 points when Willie Rioli was taken high and snapped home the ensuing free kick.

After a late goal from Ned McHenry and another from Josh Rechelle, the Crows were within ten points at the half.

The visitors had won four straight after majors to Fogarty and Thilthorpe, but Ryan Burton’s long bomb gave Port the lead back.

The teams kept trading goals, with Burton scoring his second from the same spot 55 meters away and Jeremy Finlayson scoring a nice set shot in his first preseason minutes after missing the intraclub competition a week earlier due to shin pain.

After three quarters, the lead was down to just five points thanks to a contentious late goal by Izaak Rankine, following a call that might have resulted in Travis Boak being pushed in the back by Taylor Walker as well.

Port rang the changes for the fourth period, taking Dixon, Butters, Wines and Esava Ratugolea off among ten players withdrawn from the game.

That allowed a host of other players to take the field for the first time – including Dante Visentini, Josh Sinn and Mitch Georgiades – as the lights kicked in at Alberton.

The teams again went goal for goal throughout the term, with Port maintaining a narrow lead. The biggest cheer of the evening came when Georgiades booted his first goal deep into that fourth period after marking a chiselled pass by draftee Tom Anastasopoulos on the lead.

Georgiades would continue to press his claims for a Round 1 berth with two more goals across the final two periods – his third on the run from 45 metres out perhaps the best of the bunch.

Not to be outdone, young tall Tom Scully had a real purple patch in the fifth period, booting three goals of his own and showing significant growth and development following a strong off-season.

Dante Visentini also impressed in the ruck, supported by Scully at times, to continue the debate about Port’s best ruck option and Trent McKenzie, returning from a hamstring injury, looked composed in defence.

While the sting had mostly come out of the game with most of Port Adelaide’s experienced players hitting the showers for the final two periods, Ollie Lord continued to muscle his way through the Crows’ defence, sparking some feeling in front of the bowling club.

A number of players that were on the SANFL list had the opportunity to gain some playing time during the latter phases.

With Port leading comfortably at the end of the game, the only thing worrying the Alberton team was watching first-year forward Lachie Charleson hobble around on crutches following an ankle injury.

As part of the 2024 AAMI Community Series, Port Adelaide will next play an official preseason match against Fremantle at Alberton Oval on Friday night.

SCOREBOARD

Port Adelaide   3.1       7.3       11.5     14.9     (93)      19.11    21.12    (138)

Adelaide           2.2       5.5       10.6     14.9     (93)      15.12    17.14    (116)

Goals: Scully, Georgiades 3, Byrne-Jones, Powell-Pepper, Burton, Rioli, Rozee 2, Dixon, McEntee, Finlayson