Port Adelaide has secured one of the biggest wins of their season after taking down St Kilda by 7 points on Friday night.
The Power put 83 points on the scoreboard in front of a hostile Marvel Stadium crowd, the largest score the Saints’ vaunted defence has conceded all season.
Things did not go to plan for Port at the start of the clash, coming out sluggish as St Kilda looked by far the better team early, booting five goals in the first term as the Saints’ looked to continue their hot start.
Yet the Power were able to respond almost immediately, turning the game on its head in the second quarter, keeping the Saints goalless in the term while Port booted four majors to take the lead.
The two sides seemed to mirror one another in the third quarter, with each club having moments of crisp ball movement before being stifled by some high-intensity pressure.
🗣️ "What about that?! What about the candy man!"
— 7AFL (@7AFL) April 28, 2023
Junior Rioli with a special!#AFLSaintsPower pic.twitter.com/3tjEzXwl3w
This back-and-forth continued at breakneck pace through the final term, yet the Power were able to lock down their defensive 50 in the dying moments to grind out their fourth straight win.
Jason Horne-Francis stood out as the best afield for the Power, collecting 25 touches and 11 clearances in one of the best performances of his young career.
Horne-Francis bursts from the stoppage, Finlayson gets to the fall of the long kick, three in a row Power 👀 #AFLSaintsPower pic.twitter.com/XjEC1c4QXT
— 7AFL (@7AFL) April 28, 2023
Horne-Francis received the brunt of the emotions from St Kilda fans, being showered in a chorus of boos every time he touched the ball, which only gained intensity as the game came down to the wire.
While the young gun’s play was unaffected by the boos, Garry Lyon was clearly not a fan of the treatment.
“I’m of the opinion that anyone who pays their money can boo when they go to a game of footy, but in this instance, the people booing have got to realise how stupid they look,” he said on Fox Footy.
“There’s no history between Jason Horne-Francis and the St Kilda footy club, the St Kilda footy club… are playing the best footy they have in a long, long time, the fans should be that excited about the way they’re going, they’re just losing a bit of respect.”
Travis Boak also served as a pivotal player for the Power, turning back the clock with a vintage 30-disposal performance.
For St Kilda, this clash marks the first occasion in which they have conceded over 80 points in a game this year, demonstrating that their formidable defence can be beaten.
Despite this, the Saints still put together a solid showing, with the usual suspects of Jack Sinclair and Jack Steele doing what they do best, while the big Rowan Marshall put together a monster performance in the ruck with 26 touches and 28 hitouts.
While the Saints certainly won’t be happy with the loss, it will certainly give Ross Lyon plenty to think about, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see a far cleaner looking St Kilda side next week against the Kangaroos.
On the other hand, Port Adelaide will be looking to continue this roll of form in front of a hometown crowd next round, welcoming Essendon to Adelaide Oval next Sunday.
FULL SCORE
St Kilda: 5.2, 5.6, 8.8, 11.10
Port Adelaide: 2.2, 6.7, 9.10, 12.11
GOALS
St Kilda: Gresham 2, Owens 2, Higgins, Membrey, Steele, Butler, Clark, Cordy, Wood
Port Adelaide: Powell-Pepper 2, Rioli 2, Dixon 2, Finlayson 2, Boak, Duursma, Houston, McEntee
BEST
St Kilda: Sinclair, Steele, Marshall, Gresham, Wood, Owens
Port Adelaide: Horne-Francis, Houston, Butters, Boak, Powell-Pepper, Rioli
INJURIES
St Kilda: N/A
Port Adelaide: Duursma (knee)