A stellar performance from star ruck Matilda Scholz propelled Port Adelaide to a history-making win against Collingwood on Thursday night, the Power storming into the finals mix with a third win in a row.
Lauren Arnell’s side broke the game open with a three-goals-to-nil third quarter at a windy Alberton Oval and hung on to win the first ever AFLW meeting between the club’s and make it three victories on the trot for the first time in Port’s history.
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The Magpies’ Alana Porter kicked the only goal of the final term to make it an eight-point game with just under five tense minutes remaining, but the Power defended grimly to improve to a 4-4 record.
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Scholz was outstanding in the ruck with 20 hitouts, nine clearances, a goal, and spectacular mark, in an eye-catching display, with Abbey Dowrick, Molly Brooksby and Shineah Goody important.
Playing her 50th game, Collingwood star Bri Davey was among her side’s best players, with Mikala Cann the leading possession winner on the ground.
Fingers crossed for Julia Teakle, the key forward grimacing in pain as she was helped from the field with a knee injury in the third term and was unable to return.
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“The most pleasing thing about three wins in a row for us is, obviously it’s the first time we’ve done it, but the process for our group and the way that we’re going about it is really pleasing,” Arnell said.
“It’s those ‘gritty’ styles of games that we probably haven’t won in the past, so to get this win and make it three in a row is really pleasing.
“The fixture has been challenging for everybody, but we went into that space well-planned.
“We’ve played five games since September 20, and it’s October 10 now.
“The first two we lost to North Melbourne and Richmond, who we believe will go deep into the finals, then win three in a row with a fair bit of travel, has been really pleasing for our group.
“And it’s about the process for us and that’s what we need to continue to focus on.”
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WINDY WOES
Port had first use of the stiff breeze, but didn’t make the most of it.
Influential talls Gemma Houghton and Scholz were instrumental in the Power’s opening goal, Houghton latching onto Scholz’s kick into the middle and winning a critical one-on-one to set Ella Boag and Caitlin Wendland sprinting at goal, Wendland winning the race to toe the ball home.
But that was it for the term, and while the Pies didn’t kick a goal in the first, they did better with the wind in the second.
Port’s defence stood up to repeated inside 50s until Georgia Clark took a diving mark and converted her set shot for her first AFLW goal in her third game.
Cann’s classy right-foot snap in traffic bounced through the middle with a minute left in the half, the Power managing just one rushed behind in the second quarter to go into the main break down by a goal.
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HOW, HOUGHTON?
Delighted Power fans were left to wonder, ‘How did she do that?’ after Houghton somehow defied the angles to kick a stunning goal early in the third quarter.
Houghton took possession at a crowded ruck contest about a metre inside the boundary near the point post, threw ball on her right boot and was mobbed by teammates after her miracle goal put her side back in front.
MATILDA’S MARK!
Port only registered five marks in the first half to Collingwood’s 19, with three of those to Boag, but Scholz added another to the tally with a spectacular third-quarter gem.
The 19-year-old rose majestically from a huge pack inside 50 and clunked a brilliant mark-of-the-year contender.
She capped her fine aerial work with a goal, her side’s third of the quarter, with the visitors scoreless for the term to go into the last quarter 14 points down.
“Certainly, over the last three or four weeks of footy Matilda has really come on and she’s still super young,” Arnell said.
“She came into our side last year as a very fresh-faced teenager and the more that she learns each week around preparation and diligence … it’s been really impressive in how she can apply it.
“I’m really pleased with her progress, I loved seeing her take that grab, and more so finishing with a goal after was very impressive and a small sign of Matilda is capable of.”
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SCOREBOARD
POWER 1.5 1.6 4.8 4.9 (33)
MAGPIES 0.3 2.6 2.6 3.7 (25)
PHELAN’S BEST POWER: Scholz, Dowrick, Goody, Brooksby, Moloney, Mules-Robinson. MAGPIES: Cann, Schleicher, Rowe, Davey, Cronin, Allen.
GOALS POWER: Scholz, Houghton, Wendland, Mules-Robinson. MAGPIES: Cann, Clark, Porter.
INJURIES POWER: Teakle (knee), Saint (hip). MAGPIES: Nil.
ALBERTON OVAL
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
JASON PHELAN’S VOTES
3 Scholz (Port)
2 Cann (Coll)
1 Dowrick (Port)
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