PORT Adelaide’s 10-point win over St Kilda has come at a giant cost after it lost captain Connor Rozee, forward Sam Powell-Pepper and defender Aliir Aliir to injuries.
The Power found a way to hold off the plucky Saints, who responded well from a 60-point defeat to the Western Bulldogs last week.
POWER v SAINTS Full match coverage and stats
After leading by 13 points at the final break, Port battled on to win 11.16 (82) to 11.6 (72) at the Adelaide Oval on Friday night.
The Power were forced to play out the final quarter with just two fit players on the bench after losing Rozee (hamstring) and Powell-Pepper (knee) during the third quarter.
Aliir was subbed out for Jackson Mead after being concussed in the second term following a tackle by St Kilda forward Jack Higgins, who will face a nervous wait before the Match Review Officer delivers his findings.
The trio will almost certainly be ruled out of the Power’s Showdown with Adelaide back at the same venue on Thursday night.
Powell-Pepper was only playing his third game since a four-match suspension for a high bump during a pre-season hitout.
Veteran key forward Charlie Dixon stepped up with four goals while his Power teammates struggled for accuracy.
In his 100th game, star midfielder Zak Butters was Port’s equal leading possession-winner with 27, while Willie Rioli stepped up with two goals from his limited opportunities.
St Kilda suffered an injury scare of its own, with ruckman Rowan Marshall forced off early in the match with a suspected knee injury.
But Marshall was able to return and play out the game as St Kilda tried to combat the star-studded Power midfield and a lopsided free-kick count, 25-10 in Port’s favour.
Jack Sinclair, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Brad Hill were St Kilda’s best in its third straight defeat.
Inaccurate Port moved to 5-2 this season with its 13th win from its last 14 meetings with St Kilda.
The result consigned the Saints to a 2-5 record ahead of a clash with lowly North Melbourne next Saturday.
MRO trouble for Higgins?
Saints forward Jack Higgins is set to face scrutiny from the Match Review Officer for a second-quarter tackle that saw Port defender Aliir Aliir concussed. As Aliir tried to get a kick away, Higgins grabbed his arm and dumped him into the ground.
SPP, Rozee add to Port’s injury woes
In a moment that looked set to turn into a shot on goal, Sam Powell-Pepper instead ended up seeing his night end early during the third quarter. The forward landed awkwardly on his knee and was immediately in pain, leaving the ground and icing his knee. Soon after, captain Connor Rozee came off with a hamstring injury to continue the carnage.
PORT ADELAIDE 1.8 6.9 9.13 11.16 (82)
ST KILDA 3.3 5.5 8.6 11.6 (72)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Dixon 4, Rioli 2, Wines, Rozee, Powell-Pepper, Georgiades, Byrne-Jones
St Kilda: Owens 2, Higgins 2, Sinclair, Sharman, Phillipou, Membrey, Hill, Cordy, Caminiti
BEST
Port Adelaide: Drew, Butters, Dixon, Wines, Burgoyne, Houston
St Kilda: Sinclair, Wanganeen-Milera, Wilson, Wilkie, Owens
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Aliir (concussion), Powell-Pepper (knee), Rozee (hamstring)
St Kilda: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Port Adelaide: Jackson Mead (replaced Aliir Aliir at half-time)
St Kilda: Angus Hastie (replaced Cooper Sharman at three-quarter time)
Crowd: TBC at Adelaide Oval
