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AFL scores, updates 2022, Port Adelaide Power def Essendon Bombers, Round 22: Scores, result, stats, blog

Essendon has been demolished by Port Adelaide – 23.8 (146) to 9.8 (62) – in a dismal showing sure to ramp up the pressure on the Bombers heading into the off-season.

Barring a third-quarter fightback, Port Adelaide was barely troubled by the Bombers, kicking its highest score of the year.

It marks a welcome pressure release for Port Adelaide and sets the stage for a Showdown with Adelaide to close out its season.

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QUARTER-BY-QUARTER RECAP

There were no late changes for either side. Ben Hobbs (Essendon) and Jackson Mead (Port Adelaide) were the medical substitutes.

Port Adelaide got off to the perfect start, with Travis Boak finishing off a crisp bit of play in the first 15 seconds of the match.

Essendon responded via Nic Martin, who streamed into the forward 50 and finished cleanly.

Todd Marshall and Mitch Georgiades combined for the next two majors, then a brilliant mark from Charlie Dixon was followed by an assured set shot, giving the Power some breathing room on the scoreboard.’

Mid-season draftee Massimo D’Ambrosio helped bring his side back into the mix, kicking his first AFL goal and then his second just minutes later.

Essendon gave away a costly free kick during a scuffle with Jeremy Finlayson, which resulted in Sam Powell-Pepper kicking a goal just before the quarter-time siren.

Port Adelaide led by eight points at the first change.

Powell-Pepper’s late goal was only the beginning of the Power’s surge, with Ken Hinkley’s side running rampant over Essendon as the second term began to unfold.

Essendon barely fired a shot as Port Adelaide kicked four goals in seven minutes, with some passaged dubbed “a training drill” by Fox Footy commentator Dwayne Russell.

The Power continued to pile on the goals, with Karl Amon making it a 52-point margin and eight unanswered goals.

“It seems like they’ve given up in a sense Essendon,” Jordan Lewis said on Fox Footy, pointing to the Bombers’ lack of communication and effort.

By half-time, the Bombers trailed by 51 points.

Todd Marshall kicked the first goal of the second half, but Essendon was then let off by a couple of misses from Port Adelaide in front of goal.

An Archie Perkins set shot finally broke Essendon’s goal drought, but Zak Butters restored a 60-point lead for his side with a goal shortly after.

Peter Wright and Nick Hind got back-to-back goals for the Bombers as they began to show a bit more fight through the middle of the ground, but Port Adelaide still managed to get looks at goal.

By three-quarter time, Essendon had won the quarter, reducing a 51-point margin to 49.

Unfortunately for Essendon fans, the final quarter was far from impressive, with Port Adelaide rapidly extending its lead.

Several goals for the visitors came with alarming ease as the margin continued to grow as much of the Bombers crowd began to head home.

THE 3-2-1

3) PRESSURE SOARS FOR BOMBERS AFTER BRTUAL LOSS

Ben Rutten must be wondering why the message didn’t get through to his players.

The Bombers were well beaten by Greater Western Sydney last week and, heading into Sunday, the focus was clear.

“We need to respond really quickly, in particularly in and around the contest,” Rutten told Fox Footy pre-game.

“Our ability to tackle and win our share of contested ball and pressure the opposition… we’re really looking forward to seeing how we shape up against them tonight.”

With such a focus on the contest, it must’ve been quite alarming for Rutten at the main break, with his side conceding 43 points from stoppage while scoring just seven on its own end.

“Around the contest it’s terrible … they’d been the number one stoppage team in the last month of football but were smashed last week and were absolutely smashed around the football today, especially in the second quarter,” Jonathan Brown told Fox Footy at half-time.

“It started from the centre-bounce in the first quarter but then around the ground in the second quarter.

“They’ve given up seven goals from stoppage, which is an unbelievable number for a game of football let alone a half.”

The midfield responded with a better showing in the third quarter, but limped to the finish line, doing nothing to mask questions the Bombers must address ahead of a searching off-season.

“Parish is there, Shiel is back, Merrett is there, they’ve got dominance in the ruck because Draper has height over Finlayson … they need to change something,” Brown said.

“I’d be saying if I was Ben Rutten, ‘if you boys want to play in the midfield you need to earn it, so out’.”

Such was the scale of the loss, Brown in the immediate aftermath noted: “I don’t know what to say.”

2) ALIIR’S GREAT STRIDES

Aliir Aliir has been a tremendous intercept defender, but perhaps that description is selling him short.

Few players this season have been able to stop Peter Wright from having an impact on the scoreboard or up the ground, but Aliir provided an exception to the norm.

“He’s been outstanding, Aliir Aliir,” Jonathan Brown said.

“I’ve been really impressed. He’s not just a zone-off defender. Peter Wright is one of the best key-position forwards in the competition this season.

“He has not only shut him down, he’s had an impact offensively as well and been able to get across and spoil not just Peter Wright but other opposition players as well and help out his teammates.

“I think he’s had an outstanding game and I think it highlights his development as a key defender.”

1) RIVETING RUCK CONUNDRUM

Ken Hinkley has a lot of headaches after a disappointing season, but perhaps a good one is in the ruck.

Scott Lycett’s injury early in the season certainly hurt the side in the short-term, but as the season has progressed there have been promising signs in that department.

Sam Hayes came in for a lengthy period and showed promise with the number one ruck mantle, then Brynn Teakle burst onto the scene as a mid-season draftee, showing plenty before going off injured on his AFL debut.

Jeremy Finlayson, however, could be the pick of the bunch and a shrewd bit of recruiting.

Many questioned the need for Finlayson when he came across via trade at the end of last year, but he has shown some incredibly impressive potential when handed the reigns in the ruck.

On Sunday, he demolished opponent Sam Draper and made the ruck case even more curious for Port Adelaide in 2023.

“We’ve pumped up Draper a lot this season, we think he’s going to be a really good ruckman in the competition going forward,” Jonathan Brown told Fox Footy.

“He’s had four disposals, his opponent Jeremy Finlayson has had 21, four clearances and two goals.

“It shows the difference in the day, it also shows the impact a player like Finlayson can have.”

Recap Essendon v Port Adelaide in our blog below!

If you can’t see the blog, tap here.

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Live stream details, video result, blog

A top-two spot and home qualifying final could be up for grabs on Sunday afternoon as Sydney and Collingwood — two of the AFL’s most in-form teams — meet at the SCG.

The Swans (14-6, 127.5%) are in a strong position to host a qualifying final, especially after Brisbane’s inability to thrash Carlton after threatening to increase their percentage in a massive way. They’ve won six of their past seven games.

But the Magpies (15-6, 106.3%) can put themselves in Position A to finish in the top two with a 12th straight win and skip ahead of Brisbane on the AFL ladder.

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The Magpies were dealt a major blow just hours before the first bounce, with star midfielder Jordan De Goey a late withdrawal due to a hip flexor issue. De Goey has been in excellent touch since returning to the Pies side two weeks ago with 23 and 25 disposals respectively in wins over Port and Melbourne.

De Goey was replaced by Trent Bianco, with Callum Brown named the medical sub. There were no late changes for the Swans, who named Braeden Campbell as their sub.

This match gets underground at 3.20pm AEST from the SCG.

Watch it live on Fox Footy (channel 503) from 3pm AEST.

Follow Sydney v Collingwood in our live blog below!

QUARTER BY QUARTER MATCH REPORT

Collingwood had the run early against the Swans but couldn’t put it on the scoreboard before a rare Scott Pendlebury error gifted Sydney the first of the match.

With the corridor kick coming unstuck, the Swans pounced before Lance Franklin unselfishly opted for the pass to teammate Isaac Heeney who nailed the first.

Dane Rampe had Sydney’s second later – his first goal since 2016 – as the home crowd really got going.

But when Jack Ginnivan pounced on a midfield turnover and went the barrel forward, Beau McCreery chased the footy down and got the hand pass over to Brody Mihocek who snapped truly from the square.

“Gee it was hard work for the Pies!” Commentator Brian Taylor said.

“Not sure why (Ginnivan) went the barrel… but they got the goal in the end.”

Mihocek appeared to cop a cork in the process of kicking the goal in worrying early signs for the Pies.

Tom Papley broke a tackle and got the crowd back to their feet with the Swans’ third goal of the day.

In more worrying signs, Brayden Maynard appeared to nurse his right shoulder after the Papley goal. He made his way to the bench only to be sent back into the action.

He then laid a big tackle and was slow to his feet when brought to ground by James Rowbottom.

The Pies dodged a bullet when Ryan Clarke’s goal was denied as the goal review showed the footy shaving the post.

While his brother Nick struggled to get into the action, Josh Daicos narrowed Sydney’s lead to eight points with a goal on the run from stoppage.

“You have to be accountable because if he give him that much room, he’ll kick the goal,” commentator Shaun Burgoyne said.

Young Ash Johnson beat two Swans to take a big grab 25m on the angle, but he couldn’t convert.

Down the other end, Franklin showed why he is the Swans’ marquee man as he roved and goaled on a tight angle.

“He’s the man they all come to see,” Taylor said.

The goal brought Franklin just one shy of the great Tony Lockett on 462 goals for the Swans.

Sam Reid had the chance to extend Sydney’s lead but pushed his set shot out on the full as the quarter time siren sounded.

Papley may have burned his teammate Franklin early in the second term, but Chad Warner made sure he lowered the eyes minutes later after breaking two tackles.

Franklin couldn’t pull in the mark on the arc, but Warner roved brilliantly and got the ball to Will Haywood who goaled from the square.

The Pies just couldn’t win the footy in their front half as Taylor said they were “getting a bit of a bath from the Sydney defenders”.

When Jack Crisp slipped over in the center square, the Swans gathered the turnover and found Logan McDonald.

But the youngster leaned back on it and missed to the near side.

Franklin couldn’t get the bounce when he snapped from the pocket as Collingwood just couldn’t get into the contest in the second.

It took a Jack Ginnivan goal from a high tackle free kick to give the Pies a sniff.

Paddy McCartin was penalized for the tackle and the controversial Collingwood forward slotted it to the boos of the crowd to narrow Sydney’s lead to 15 points.

“It’s immediately high from McCartin,” commentator Jude Bolton said.

“I believe the first one was around the throat. He’s got to go lower.”

But Ginnivan left the field moments later and headed straight to the rooms, leaving the Pies down to just two on the bench while medical staff struggled to stem Will Hoskin-Elliott’s nose bleed from earlier in the quarter.

Ginnivan was subbed out at half time and later spotted on the bench with ice on his left hamstring.

Franklin got the Swans off to the best possible start in the third term when he snapped his 462nd goal for Sydney – drawing him level with Tony Lockett.

Johnson couldn’t bridge the gap after some Daicos brother brilliance in the center of the ground.

“He just didn’t get back in his run up,” Burgoyne lamented.

“I’ve got under it.”

If you can’t see the blog, tap here.

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