AFL Finals 2024 Recap: Insipid Port Adelaide succumb to Geelong might in 84-point mauling
Geelong have suffered a huge blow ahead of their qualifying final against Port Adelaide with Tom Stewart ruled out with injury. Can the Cats recover or will Port power themselves to a prelim?
September means finals footy is finally upon us as Geelong take on the in-form Port at Adelaide Oval who are coming off six straight wins.
Can they use their home-ground advantage to book a prelim birth? Follow live!
Another Geelong goal
Shannon Neale kicks his first and we’re at a 47-point margin. A couple of Power fans are leaving their seats and even Hinkley seems resigned as he sinks in his seat on the bench.
Cats inaccuracy continues
Geelong are awarded a free kick after a dangerous dump tackle from Blicavs. Ollie Dempsey runs in and takes an uncontested mark 20m directly in front. He misses to make it 2.8 from set shots for the Cats. About the only area where they have been lacking tonight.
This game is over
Tanner Bruhn has his first and the margin is out to 40 points. Connor Rozee is playing a lone hand for Port. The ground is very quiet atm and it’s hard to see where the Power can find their spark from.
This could get ugly
Geelong have kicked the first two goals through Bowes and Mannagh as Port Adelaide looks incredibly flat. The margin is out to 34-points and the Power desperately need a lift.
Here’s Ken Hinkley’s comments on Butters.
“Nothing wrong with his week, his week was fine but he is actually a little bit sore. So, we might have to make a decision early in the second half, on how he’s going to go. We’ll see what he does for the first five or six minutes.”
Butters is out
HUGE news as Ken Hinkley reveals Zak Butters is carrying an injury after a nine-disposal first half. He’s pulling on the vest and his day is done that’s a massive blow with the Port already 20 points down and now without one of their best playmakers.
HALF TIME Geelong 9.9 (63) Port Adelaide 6.7 (43)
Tom Aitkins speaks
“We started well and brought a good attitude.”
“Dangerfield is a beast, it’s one contest after another, that’s finals footy we just have to re-set at half time and come out with that same attitude.”
Port hit the front early in that quarter before the Cats piled on five straight goals to steak away. Connor Rozee’s red-time goal kept them in touch.
Dangerfield has four clearances while Max Holmes is the leading ball winner with 16 disposals.
The stats are fairly even with Geelong having an edge in uncontested possessions but it’s their sharpness with ball in hand that is proving the difference atm.
Can Port find a way to wrestle back the momentum in the second half?
Rozee gets one back
Port go forward to a jam-packed goal-square. Boak manages to get the crumb and Rozee snaps off a step in the middle of the contest to keep the Power in touch.
It’s all too easy for Cameron
He fumbles but has all the time in the world to regather and dribble through a goal.
Dangerfield launched that attack again after ripping the ball out the contest.
Port in real trouble
The Power have coughed up four goals in a row as they fail to put enough pressure on the Cats’ attack.
Geelong continue to clean up from contests so much better and Dangerfield drives them forward before Myers sneaks through his first goal of the night
Stengle has three
There’s some heavy legs out there in what has been a manic quarter but the Cats’s tank is deep as they repel repeat entries before firing up the wing with a chain of handballs.
Mannagh launches and Stengle marks and goals in the goal square.
GEL 51 PA 36
