Power crush damp Saints

Port Adelaide 14.12 (96) def. St Kilda 6.7 (43)

PORT ADELAIDE has continued its fine start to the 2007 season, thrashing an injury-depleted St Kilda side by 53 points in wet conditions at AAMI Stadium tonight.

The Power led from start to finish, and despite a brief period in the second quarter when the visitors looked like gaining the ascendancy, their grasp on the four premiership points was never seriously tested.

Four goals to one in the first term set the tone early, and an outstanding third term in which Port banged on 6.6 to a solitary point put the result way beyond doubt.

The win leaves them sitting pretty with four wins from their first five games, while Ross Lyon's indifferent start to his coaching career has the Saints at 2-3.

Already ravaged by injuries, Lyon elected to make a late change in anticipation of the weather, with midfielder Andrew McQualter replacing former Power ruckman Barry Brooks, while the home side replaced Dean Brogan with Troy Chaplin.

The latter did well on Nick Riewoldt, although conditions and an accidental boot to the face courtesy of Peter Burgoyne hardly did the Saints' thoroughbred any favours.

The game was largely won in the midfield and around stoppages, with the Cornes brothers and Steven Salopek particularly effective. Shaun Burgoyne came to life in the second half after being nullified by Steven Baker, while Darryl Wakelin was magnificent in his 250th game, keeping Fraser Gehrig goalless.

In fact St Kilda only had three  players kick goals, with Brendan Goddard's single accompanying three from Brett Voss - who was playing his first game for the year - and two from Stephen Milne.

Robert Harvey continued to bely his 35 years with a tireless display, while Nick Dal Santo also worked hard without reward.

Mark Williams will also be no doubt pleased with the return to form of spearhead Warren Tredrea, who kicked three and was instrumental in many of his side's best attacking thrusts.

After Port had skipped away in the first term, with the Cornes' and Michael Wilson particularly effective, the Saints fought back into the contest with two goals within a minute from Voss. However that was where it ended as the Power finished the term strongly to take a 15-point lead into the main break, effectively worth double in the conditions.

Conditions were taking their toll on player bodies too, with Lenny Hayes suffering a suspected broken collarbone, Andrew Thompson hyper-extending his left knee under a pack and Wilson the victim of yet another shoulder injury.

The third term was where the game was put beyond doubt; St Kilda rarely venturing into its own attacking half of the ground, while in contrast even defender Troy Chaplin wandered forward to kick a goal to delight a home crowd barely touching 25,000.

Both sides added three goals in the final quarter, but it was the Power who found joy in miserable conditions all night.

Next week, Port travel to the MCG to face the struggling Demons, while the Saints return to Friday Night Football to host Carlton at the Telstra Dome.

	Qtr Time	Half Time	3 Qtr Time	Final
Port Adelaide	4. 2 (26)	5. 6 (36)	11.12 (78)	14.12.    96
St Kilda	1. 2 (8)	3. 3 (21)	3.  4 (22)	6.  7.    43

Port Adelaide
Goals: W Tredrea 3, S Burgoyne 2, D Rodan 2, B Ebert 2, T Chaplin, S Salopek, P Burgoyne, D White, B Symes
Best: C Cornes, S Salopek, K Cornes, D Wakelin, W Tredrea, S Burgoyne, P Burgoyne
Injuries: Michael Wilson (shoulder)
Reports: nil.

St Kilda
Goals: B Voss 3, S Milne 2, B Goddard 1
Best: R Harvey, B Voss, N Dal Santo, S Baker, B Goddard
Injuries: Lenny Hayes (collarbone), Andrew Thompson (knee)
Reports: nil.

Umpires: S McBurney, M Stevic, S Grun.
Crowd: 24,438 @ AAMI Stadium, Adelaide.

Votes - Player of the Year:
3- C Cornes (Port), 2- S Salopek (Port), 1- K Cornes (Port).

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