A SAVAGE early assault has propelled Port Adelaide to a thumping 46-point AFL victory against Fremantle.
The Power booted seven first-term goals to lay the platform for their 18.7 (115) to 9.15 (69) triumph at Adelaide Oval on Sunday night.
Port’s Karl Amon starred in a stunning opening quarter which reaped 7.5 to Fremantle’s 0.7.
Amon collected 16 disposals and his teammates Sam Powell-Pepper and Charlie Dixon both booted two goals as the Power registered a whopping 69 more disposals than the Dockers in the first term.
As Dockers coach Justin Longmuir put it, his side was “smoked around the contest” – the Power won the contested possession count 40 to 22 and centre clearances six to two in the quarter.
The visitors were 50 points down some 22 minutes into the second quarter before salvaging some respect with six of the next eight goals.
But the closest Fremantle got for their efforts, while plucky, was 22 points early in the final term before Port closed out victory with the last four majors of the match.
The Power enter their bye in fifth spot with eight wins from 11 games while the Dockers, who host second-placed Western Bulldogs next weekend, are in 11th spot with five wins and six losses.
Port’s Dixon and Powell-Pepper finished with three goals each while Orazio Fantasia, ruckman Peter Ladhams, Todd Marshall and Robbie Gray kicked two apiece.
Wingman Amon gathered 27 touches and kicked a goal in the match while teammate Ollie Wines continued his stellar season with his 35 disposals featuring eight clearances and eight inside 50s.
Veteran Travis Boak (31 touches, seven clearances) and Dan Houston (29 disposals) were other standouts.
Fremantle’s early slumber was alarming but midfielders Adam Cerra (27 possesions, seven inside 50s) and Angus Brayshaw (27 touches) helped saved face with influential performances.
Captain Nat Fyfe (two goals, 20 touches) and James Aish (25 disposals) also battled gamely for the Dockers, who lost Sam Switkowski to an undisclosed injury – he didn’t feature in the second half.
Port also lost a player with Ryan Burton substituted in the final quarter because of a suspected knee injury.
(C) AAP 2021
PORT ADELAIDE 7.5 12.5 14.5 18.7 (115)
FREMANTLE 0.7 6.10 8.13 9.15 (69)
Goals: Port Adelaide: C Dixon 3 S Powell-Pepper 3 O Fantasia 2 P Ladhams 2 R Gray 2 T Marshall 2 K Amon K Farrell M Bergman M Georgiades. Fremantle: N Fyfe 2 D Mundy L Henry L Schultz M Crowden M Walters R Lobb T Colyer. Umpires: Jeff Dalgleish, Dan Johanson, Tom Bryce, Giles Lewis.
Official Crowd: 26,759 at Adelaide Oval.
