Port sneaks home in Cazalys stunner
IF you were looking for a crisp, accurate and high-flying game of footy, then Saturday night’s clash between St Kilda and Port Adelaide was not for you.
Instead, more than 6600 fans at Cazalys Stadium were treated to a bare-boned, scrappy stunner that had ecstatic punters shaking the grandstand.
The Power dragged themselves over the finish line in the second least accurate game of AFL ever by a mere point to win their second game of the season.
Humid conditions and a wet deck meant the thriller could have gone either way, but Port coach Ken Hinkley was naturally relieved his team were able to nab their second win in a row in Cairns.
“It’s always not going to be conducive to fast flowing, clean football to play in these conditions,” he said after the game.
“It’s great we get the game up here, and it’s fantastic to bring the game to the people.
“But it is always going to be played that way this time of year.”
The Saints might think themselves cursed after dropping their second Cairns game to a South Australian team in a row.
Coach Brett Ratten said despite not coming away with four points, his team got a lot out of the trip.
“The way we were embraced by the Cairns people was fantastic,” he said.
“We had a really good week from a club point of view, we just didn’t do what we wanted to do which was get the four points.”
The 5.13 (43) to 4.18 (42) Power victory was preluded by light rain and affected by 88 per cent humidity throughout.
The steamy low-scoring has drawn criticism – most notably from former Power great and commentator Kane Cornes – about the viability of hosting a Saints home game in FNQ.
When asked whether or not hosting a game in Cairns during winter when conditions are more reliable, AFL Cairns president Gary Young said more events, including the Cairns Show and Iron Man, would need to factored in at that point. “That middle of the year is better … June, July are the best months but the fixture’s a very complex one for the AFL – there are so many themed rounds,” he said.
“In winter they want to come. You are going to attract another 15 or 20 per cent of people wanting to have a holiday and see their game.
“My preference would be June or July (but) there is a lot going on, we try to avoid school holidays because things are a premium rate.”
While there’s no doubt conditions played a factor in the game, Ratten said it was an even playing field nonetheless.
“They had the same conditions … our last quarter and our runs had been pretty good so we didn’t have to worry about that,” he said.
“It was more just the game was up for grabs, the ball was a bit slippery, there were mistakes made that Port capitalised on.”
The win in Cairns had Hinkley and his team smiling ear-to-ear as they attempt to salvage their 2-5 season.
The seasoned coach said he’s been up a few times in his career, and enjoyed every visit.
“I’ve been up here a few times, I’m almost a local,” Hinkley said.
“I quite enjoy coming up here; I know the team enjoys coming up here.
“Getting here was a bit of a challenge for us but we got here and we’re going to go home pretty happy.”