PORT ADELAIDE has fallen to 39–point defeatat the hands of Carlton.
The Power kicked 14.18 (102) to 22.9 (141).
Port Adelaidefought the game out well, outscoring Carltonfive goals to two in the final term at Telstra Dome, but the damage had alreadybeen done with the Blues’ impressive third quarter seeing them up by 59 pointsat three-quarter time.
Kane Cornes was one of Port’s best with 30possessions, while Steven Salopek (27) and Danyle Pearce (28) were alsoprominent, but perhaps the most heartening aspect of a dark night for Powerfans was Justin Westhoff’s four-goal performance in just his second AFL game.
It comes on the back of three goals in hisdebut last week with the 20-year-old easily his side’s most dangerous forwardon the night.
Young Westhoff is building a reputation ofhis own and he impressed when he stood tall to mark and goal from close rangeto break the sequence. Fellow second-gamer Robert Gray added his first goal inAFL ranks to narrow the gap further, but two late goals to Jarrad Waite hadPort down by 24 points at quarter-time.
Coach Mark Williams adjusted during thebreak and the Power managed to slow Carlton’smomentum, but failed to capitalise on their own hard work during a 10-minuteperiod when they had the better of the midfield exchanges.
Chad Cornes took matters into his own handswhen he wrenched the ball away from a centre square stoppage and goaled on therun from 50, but it was Port’s only goal for the term with the margin edgingout to 33 points at the half.
The Power opened the second half brightlybut was again wasteful in front of goal before Lance Whitnall started the runof nine goals without a miss that put the result beyond doubt.
Port was able to briefly stem the onslaughtwith a long-range effort to Brendon Lade and another two goals to Westhoff, butthey proved to be band-aid measures only as the Blues skipped away to animposing 59-point lead at the last change.
Facing an opposition with their tails up, athrashing could have been on the cards, but David Rodan capped a solid night withhis second goal after an early turnover with his team-mates following his leadand fighting out the contest to close the margin to 39 points in the finish.
PORT ADELAIDE 4.3 5.8 9.12 14.18(102)
CARLTON 8.3 11.5 20.5 22.9 (141)
Goals: Port Adelaide: J Westhoff 4 D Rodan 2 R Gray 2 S Burgoyne CCornes P Burgoyne B Lade W Tredrea D Cassisi. Carlton: J Waite 4 R Houlihan 3 B Fisher3 B Fevola 2 L Whitnall 2 J Bannister 2 S O'hAilpin 2 M Murphy A Walker KSimpson A Carrazzo.
Best: Port Adelaide: S Salopek JWesthoff D Rodan K Cornes D Pearce P Burgoyne. Carlton: A Walker M Murphy A Carrazzo JWaite B Gibbs H Scotland J Russell B Thornton.
Umpires: D Goldspink C Hendrie DWoodcock.
Official crowd: 29,678 at TelstraDome.
