Power turns it on for big Eagles upset

REIGNING premier West Coast was jumped, throttled, outrun and outworked by Port Adelaide at Perth Stadium last night.

The Eagles were hammered at stoppages, outrun on the spread. Their intercept defence became nondescript defence.

Port Adelaide’s youthful exuberance made them look leaden-footed. Port’s daring speed of ball by hand and foot made the Eagles’ ball use look sloppy and timid.

Most damning of all, the Eagles were completely outworked from siren to siren.

It was an assault led by Ollie Wines, Travis Boak and Sam Powell-Pepper in the midfield, Dougal Howard and Ryan Burton in defence and Sam Gray in attack. Wines had 35 disposals, 10 inside-50s and kicked a goal. He is a better footballer than water skier.

It was a triumphant return to Perth Stadium for Scott Lycett — the best ruckman out there.

For West Coast, youngster Jack Petruccelle kicked five goals, well over half their score and Brad Sheppard was strong in defence. All others were beaten and soundly.

The only positive thing you could say about the Eagles’ opening quarter was that it could have been far worse.

They were jumped and taken aback by Port’s bold approach. The Power had taken five shots on goal before Petruccelle managed West Coast’s first. The fleet-footed flanker had kicked all of the Eagles’ score but it was only 1.1.

At the other end Port’s dominance had only produced a 16-point lead. Paddy Ryder had missed a couple of easy shots and Tom Rockliff had missed a tough one.

Had they just managed a couple more goals they could have turned a three-goal lead into a four or five-goal one and really caused a stir.

As it was their run and pace had the Eagles stretching to cope. Travis Boak and Riley Bonner both had big terms and the Eagles had work to do.

If they thought they were headed for a problem at quarter time they were neck deep in crisis at the main break – 49 points behind and starting to implode.

Port had transformed their dominant but inaccurate 3.5 first term into a 6.4 second one.

Petruccelle had still kicked all of the Eagles’ score — 2.2.

By three-quarter time the Eagles had lost six quarters of football in a row — the last three of last weekend’s western derby and the first three here.

It was game over.