Photo Gallery: Rd 8 2010 v Port Adelaide
Click here to view the photo gallery
CARLTON has notched its fourth win in five weeks, overcoming Port Adelaide by 26 points in an enthralling contest at AAMI Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Blues trailed by nine points at three-quarter time, but piled on four unanswered goals in the last term to set up the impressive victory, 17.16 (118) to 14.8 (92).
Carlton’s small forward line loomed as the threat ahead of the anticipated clash, but it was the visitors’ tall timber that troubled the Port Adelaide defence.
Setanta O’hAilpin continued his emergence as the most improved key forward in the game with three goals, and Matthew Kreuzer showed up experienced ruckman Dean Brogan, finishing with three goals, 19 disposals and eight marks.
Jarrad Waite and Ryan Houlihan also created headaches for the Power, with two goals apiece.
Carlton skipper Chris Judd (27 possessions and a goal) and Kade Simpson (29 possessions and a goal) were instrumental around the stoppages, while defender Jordan Russell (22 possessions) did a superb job on elusive Power forward Robbie Gray.
Kane Cornes (27 disposals and four clearances) held Blues star Marc Murphy to just eight possessions at half time. Captain Dom Cassisi (21 disposals), Jason Davenport (22 possessions and a goal) and Hitchcock (17 disposals) were among Port Adelaide’s better players.
The win came at a cost for the Blues, with young midfielder Kane Lucas injuring his hamstring and Waite on report for striking Power midfielder Jason Davenport.
The lead seesawed in the tight first half, with neither side able to gain more than a two-goal buffer.
O’hAilpin escaped Alipate Carlile’s grasp to kick two first-half goals, but Motlop was up to the challenge at the other end.
Motlop hopped, skipped and jumped past Bryce Gibbs to kick two goals in the second quarter and give the home side a narrow one-point lead at half time.
Carlton, who were a man down after losing Lucas in the first term, appeared in trouble in the third quarter when the Power slammed on four unanswered goals but finished full of running in the final term to secure the spirited win.
Carlton 4.1 8.4 11.10 17. 16 (118)
Port Adelaide 3.3 8.5 13.7 14.8 (92)
GOALS
Carlton: O’hAilpin 3, Kreuzer 3, Houlihan 2, Waite 2, Yarran 2, Carrazzo, Garlett, Simpson, Judd, Scotland
Port Adelaide: Salopek 3, Motlop 2, Hitchcock 2, Westhoff, Schulz, Ebert, Gray, C Cornes, Davenport, Surjan
BEST
Carlton: Judd, Simpson, Kreuzer, Carrazzo, Russell, Gibbs, Armfield, Yarran
Port Adelaide: K Cornes, Cassisi, Davenport, Salopek, Hitchcock
INJURIES
Carlton: Lucas (hamstring), White (shoulder)
Port Adelaide: Davenport (cheek)
Reports: Waite (striking on Davenport)
Umpires: Hay, Ryan, Armstrong
Official crowd: 30228 at AAMI Stadium
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
