Super Saturday begins with a ladder-shaping clash as Port Adelaide tries to hold onto its spot in the eight against an in-form Brisbane.
The Power (8-5, 108.8%) have lost consecutive matches, and have won just once at home since the start of May, with continued questions over their legitimacy as contenders.
The Lions (6-6-1, 115.8%) began the round a lowly 13th on the ladder but after a slow start to the season are building, and hoping to repeat the feats of GWS and Carlton last year, when they both charged from the bottom six into the last four.
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The match gets underway at 1:45pm AEST from Adelaide Oval.
Watch it live on Fox Footy (channel 504), streaming on Kayo or via Hubbl from 1:30pm AEST.
ROLLING MATCH UPDATES
The Power were forced to make a late change, with Willie Rioli withdrawn from the side due to a calf issue and replaced by Quinton Narkle, who was named as Port’s sub. Brisbane made no late changes, with Shadeau Brain the starting sub.
It was a scrappy start for Port, with a couple of early fumbles drawing loud groans from Power fans.
“The natives are getting restless here already,” Fox Footy boundary rider Cameron Mooney said.
Jeremy Finlayson, though, got Port supporters firing with a terrific two-bounce running goal, before Josh Sinn nailed his first AFL major to give the home start the quick start.
Then Cameron Rayner took the advantage after a Lions free kick deep inside 50 and missed a shot at goal, prompting Mooney to say: “That is selfish football.”
But Brisbane quickly settled with the next four goals through Bruce Reville, Charlie Cameron, Cal Ah Chee and Eric Hipwood to take a 10-point lead.
Five-time premiership Hawk Dermott Brereton said there were “a few warning signs, alarm bells and red lights flashing in the Port Adelaide box”, while Mark Ricciuto added: “He (Ken Hinkley) would be really nervous about what’s going on here right now.”
The Power found a response through star vice-captain Zak Butters, who nailed a long-range set-shot goal.
But a late first-quarter major to Joe Daniher gave Brisbane a 15-point lead at the first change.
The Power got the ideal start to the second term, with key forwards Todd Marshall and Ollie Lord converting their set-shots to cut Brisbane’s lead to six points.
It came as players crashed into each other at numerous stoppages.
“It’s getting very physical down here. Throughout that contest, blokes were getting belted left, right and centre,” Mooney said.
Brisbane quickly hit back though, with Daniher nailing his second and Rayner kicking truly.
Then seventh-gamer Logan Morris took over with two brilliant majors — including a stunning running goal at full pace — to extend Brisbane’s lead to 29 points.
And when Hipwood kicked his third goal, the Lions had Port Adelaide on the ropes.
“This is a warning shot, not just to Port Adelaide, but to the whole competition that’ll be watching because the Brisbane Lions are now fully loaded and they are coming.”
Fox Footy’s Anthony Hudson said.
Ricciuto added: “Port Adelaide’s defence is looking really brittle today … They’re in trouble with their defence.”
Lions ruck Oscar McInerney then pulled out the party tricks late in the second term, nailing a long-range set-shot goal before a terrific solo effort from a forward 50 stoppage put the exclamation point on a dominant first half, with the Lions leading by 45 points.
Hipwood kicked his fourth and Hugh McCluggage added another just after half-time as Brisbane’s lead ballooned to nearly 10 goals. Meanwhile the Power surprisingly subbed out Brandon Zerk-Thatcher, while Butters came to the bench with a possible wrist injury.
“Their backline is in disarray. They just don’t look like stopping them at all,” Ricciuto said of the Power.
The avalanche continued, with goals to Zac Bailey before a fifth to Hipwood took the Lions’ lead to 76 points.
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