Two quarters of impervious football from ladder-leaders Port Melbourne saw the Northern Blues fall to a 65-point loss at Preston City Oval on Saturday.
The 18. 17. (125) to 9. 6. (60) victory for Port marked the Blues’ fifth loss in a row, with the home side’s last victory coming at Preston against Collingwood at the start of July.
The result sees the Blues definitively ruled out of finals contention, sitting eight points adrift of eighth-placed Werribee with only a game remaining.
The Blues looked to get the jump early when Matthew Watson goaled within seconds of the first bounce; his set shot from well outside 50 seeing the game roar into life.
However from that moment on, it was all Port Melbourne.
Their proclivity in winning the contested ball (150-130) set the game’s tone, as did their ability to get the ball going their way (36-28 clearances).
Their ascendancy was largely built off a dominant second term where the Blues had no match for Port, leading to a 31-point deficit at half time.
Post-match, Watson highlighted the second quarter as the game’s turning point, a factor that has been evident in the Blues’ form over the last two
“They lifted their intensity in the second term which we just didn’t match, and you can’t let such a good side like Port overrun you like that,” Watson said.
“We started pretty well but in the second quarter it got away from us, which has been the case in the past couple of weeks.”
Despite the Blues’ dominance in the ruck with Robert Warnock, a pinch-hitting Watson and the returning Matthew Kreuzer, it was the dominance from a deep Port midfield which brought about Northern’s undoing.
The supply from the midfield allowed for a wide array of Port goalkickers, spearheaded by Hugh Sandilands and Daniel Connors (four goals each).
The second half saw a rise in intensity from the Blues who held their own for the majority, only for Port to kick away late to extend the margin beyond 10 goals.
In a significant positive for the Blues, Kreuzer - in his first match since March - got through the match unscathed, proceededing to finish with 10 disposals and 12 hitouts up forward in 50 per cent game time.
Two young Carlton midfielders provided further shining lights for the Blues, with Nick Holman and Patrick Cripps named as Northern’s best performers.
In a run-with role with Chris Cain, Holman gathered 14 disposals and kicked a goal, whilst restricting the dangerous Cain to just 12 of his own.
Cripps accrued 25 disposals (17 contested), in a typically dogged performance.
On a personal level, Watson went onto bag another three-goal haul, having made full-forward his own position in recent weeks.
“I’ve really enjoyed playing forward in the last six weeks: it’s something different and a position where I want to play to end the season as well as next year.
“Having spells in the ruck today was also something different, and it’s something I’m working on to add another string to my bow.”
However, there were ultimately too many contributors for Port in the end, who progressed to 15-2 and cemented their place as minor premiers for season 2014.
Watson said with finals now off the agenda for this season, the Blues would be going into next week’s match against the third-placed Box Hill with the view to “get something out of the contest”.
“All we can do now is come out against another quality outfit against Box Hill with nothing to lose, and strive to give a four quarter performance,” Watson said.
“Port Melbourne are a strong, quality side and there are a few boys who are a bit sore, but all we can do is bounce back against Box Hill.”
The Blues will travel to face the Hawks at Box Hill City Oval at 1pm on Saturday.
NORTHERN BLUES 2.2 3.3 5.6 9. 6. (60)
PORT MELBOURNE 2.5 7.10 12.12 18. 17. (125)
GOALS:
NORTHERN: Watson 3, Lucas, Johnson, Bransgrove, Warnock, Reynolds, Holman
PORT MELBOURNE: Sandilands 4, Connors 4, Johnston 2, S. O’Sullivan 2, Gordon, Pinwill, Wooffindin, T. O’Sullivan, Johnson, Rowe
BEST
NORTHERN: Holman, Cripps, Anthony, Watson, Lucas, Tagleri
PORT MELBOURNE: Sandilands, Marigliani, Magner, Pleming, Wooffindin, Davies
