The Western Bulldogs have been defeated in a tense 19-point contest against Port Adelaide at Alberton Oval on Saturday night.
The Power led by a point at three-quarter time and sealed the 8.6 (54) to 5.5 (35) win with a dominant last quarter.
The loss was further soured for the visitors when Elisabeth Georgostathis went down clutching her left knee after heavy contact in the last quarter.
The Bulldogs led by 13 points when Elaine Grigg goaled two minutes into the third term, but Port’s Indy Tahau kicked the next three goals as the Power went on a match-winning run of six unanswered goals.
The sides entered the clash two wins adrift of eighth-placed West Coast with 2-5 records and near identical percentages.
The hard-tackling Power won the territory battle early, going inside 50 six times to the Bulldogs’ one, but couldn’t capitalise with a goal.
The Dogs made the home side pay for its inefficiency inside 50, Rylie Wilcox with the first major of the contest as the visitors gathered momentum.
Port trailed by eight points at the first break after going goalless in the opening term for the third time this season.
Tahau broke the Power’s goal drought seven minutes into the second quarter, but alarm bells were ringing when Sarah Hartwig’s back-to-back goals stretched the margin to 15 points with halftime approaching.
The Dogs were dominating possession with 47 more disposals in the first half, but Lauren Arnell’s side dug deep.
Terrific tussle of the talls
One of the more intriguing aspects of the contest was the ruck battle between young Port star Matilda Scholz and Alice Edmonds, who led the AFLW in hitouts after seven rounds. It was an even battle for three quarters, but Scholz came out on top 27-20 in the hitouts, had two more possessions and gained 414m to Edmonds’ 260 to just edge her rival in the key match-up.
Up next
The Power will take on Brisbane at Brighton Homes Arena on Saturday, while the Bulldogs are back in action on Friday night when they host Essendon at Whitten Oval.
Match Details
PORT ADELAIDE 0.1 2.3 4.5 8.6 (54)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 1.3 3.4 4.4 5.5 (35)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Tahau 4, Woodland, Young, Houghton, Lamb
Western Bulldogs: Hartwig 2, Wilcox, Grigg, McDonald
BEST
Port Adelaide: Dowrick, Tahau, Scholz, Woodland, Pope, Heads
Western Bulldogs: Pritchard, Blackburn, Edmonds, Fitzgerald, Smith, Hartwig
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Buttifant (leg), Georgostathis (knee)
LATE CHANGE
Port Adelaide: Piper Window (ankle) replaced in selected side by Kirsty Lamb
Western Bulldogs: None
Reports: Nil
Crowd: 2,444 at Alberton Oval
