Port's Dashing Teamwork
Port Adelaide displayed undoubted supremacy in its match against Glenelg at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday, and was all easy winner by 62 points. Glenelg was badly beaten across the centre line, in the rucks, and in the back lines, while the sustained speed of the Port Adelaide combination — and it was truly a combination — left Glenelg no hope of battling through to victory.
Port Adelaide jumped straight into its stride and clapped on two goals one behind in the first two minutes, and from then on was never greatly troubled, despite a few rallies by Glenelg. Conditions were perfect, and in the first and third quarters Port Adelaide played with irresistible precision. In the first quarter it worked to get a loose man in front of goals, and would then flash the ball across to him, rather than indulge in snap shooting. This plan worked out to perfection, and eight goals four behinds were posted. In the second and last quarters, however, the Port Adelaide players, probably because they felt assured of victory, departed from that system, and began to take running shots for goal, which resulted in the kicking of three goals nine behinds in the second, and two goals six behinds in the final quarters.
The rucking was surprisingly even, but the rovers — Quinn and Hender — won the day. Their lightning speed and wonderful skill in turning out of danger, coupled with accurate passes from either foot, completely nonplussed Glenelg time and again. In the second quarter, Boyle (Glenelg half-forward) who was beating Doyle (Port), was transferred to centre, in what proved to be a futile effort to quieten Johnston. That move did away with Glenelg's one undoubted strong post. Boyle's supremacy on the half-forward flank was a good avenue through which Glenelg could attack, but in any case, one move could hardly have had much effect on the tenor of the game. Port Adelaide just ran away from its opposition and shot for goal almost at will, although the strong work of the Glenelg back men, especially the half-backs Brock and Ahrendt, was responsible for many nasty snap shots.
Scores: —
- PORT ADELAIDE 20 goals 27 behinds (147).
- GLENELG 12 goals 13 behinds (85).
Scorers-—
- Port Adelaide — Kellaway. 4 goals: Hay and Wightman. 3.2; Reval. 3 goals- Quinn. 2.5; Hollingworth, 2.3: Roberts and Hender. 1.4- Rudd. 1 goal: Jacquier 4 behinds; Hender, Dermody. and Johnston. 1 behind.
- Glenelg — Birrell 4 goals- Winkler. 2.2; V. Richter. 2.1: Halliday Boyle Link. 1.2 each; Percy. 1.1: Hunt. Johnston, and Pike, 3 behind each.
West's Fine Game
When Port Adelaide abandoned its systematic play, Glenelg was not slow to take advantage of it. and the Port back lines had some heavy work to do. West, in his usual position as goalkeeper, was always equal to whatever task came his way and the certainty of his kicking left Glenelg little chance of peppering the goalmouth for any length of time. In the last quarter he made a magnificent clearing run right to centre before kicking. He then took up a position on the ball. The roving of Hender and Quinn left little to be desired, both from a point of utility and of spectacle. Brilliant and sustained speed, deft handling of the ban. and accurate passing were features of their games. Whicker at centre wing played a slashing game, while Johnston at centre was seldom troubled. Dermody on the other wing, completed the powerful centre line. Whether in the ruck or resting in a back pocket, Reval was a tower of strength and of energy. He kicked three goals.
Brock, at centre half-back, played the best game for Glenelg, while V. Richter. at centre half-forward, acquitted himself well against Obst. Boyle was having far the better of his exchanges with Doyle, but was unable to keep Johnston quiet when be was transferred to centre in place of Hunt. Ahrendt did much valuable work in the half back line, and Birrell, who was opposed by West, did well to get four goals.
Umpire S. A. D. Hill had charge of the game.
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