Port Adelaide has fought back from 31 points down to pull off a crucial comeback 14-point win over Carlton and leap into third on the AFL ladder.
Ken Hinkley’s charges were almost left to rue a failure to seize their opportunity as a run of six unanswered Carlton goals in the second term put the Blues firmly in control.
But the Power fought back in style, as Carlton faded off a five-day break, to claim a gritty 11.13 (79) to 9.11 (65) victory at Docklands Stadium on Friday night.
Port Adelaide (48 points) sit behind the second-placed Blues on percentage alone after this boost to their top-four hopes.
The chasing pack of Brisbane, Fremantle (both 46 points), GWS and Geelong (44 points) are yet to play this weekend.
Carlton, already without injured duo Tom De Koning and Blake Acres, suffered a blow before the opening bounce when key forward Harry McKay withdrew with illness.
McKay had been a focus during the week, having been cleared of concussion after a head knock against North Melbourne, but with the Blues reprimanded by the AFL for their delay in taking him off the ground.
His late withdrawal on Friday left Curnow as Carlton’s lone key forward, and the superstar had an engaging duel with Aliir Aliir.
Curnow kicked three goals in the first half as he threatened to break the game open but, like many of his team-mates, his influenced waned in in the second half.
Ollie Wines (26 disposals and 10 clearances) and Connor Rozee (24 disposals) were busy while Zak Butters (23 touches) was blanketed by Alex Cincotta early but lifted along with Jason Horne-Francis.
Sam Walsh (23 touches), Patrick Cripps (25 touches, nine tackles) and Elijah Hollands (20 disposals) were prolific for the Blues while Jacob Weitering kept Charlie Dixon quiet.
Curnow drew first blood but Carlton otherwise spurned some good early chances, while luckless midfielder David Cuningham was forced out of the game with a dislocated shoulder.
Esava Ratugolea and Mitch Georgiades struck to give Port Adelaide a four-point lead at quarter-time.
But after the break, the Blues wrenched the game in their favour.
Lewis Young’s goal from a free kick five minutes into the second term kicked off a run of six unanswered majors that delivered a 25-point lead at half-time.
Port huffed and puffed in the third term, snagging two late goals to reduce the deficit to 10 points at the final change.
In the final term, Ratugolea and then Jackson Mead struck to give the visitors a slender lead.
Horne-Francis goaled from just inside 50 to all but ice the game, before a late Darcy Byrne-Jones toe-poke sealed the deal.
Port next hosts Sydney while Carlton faces Collingwood in a blockbuster clash at the MCG.
For a recap of all the action as it happened, follow our live blog below.
AAP
Key events
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Carlton vs Port Adelaide scoreboard
Cunningham confirmed to have dislocated shoulder
Carlton coach Michael Voss isn’t sounding too optimistic on David Cunningham’s status moving forward this season.
Voss confirms that Cunningham dislocated his left shoulder in the first quarter.
“Obviously losing him early wasn’t ideal. He’s had it before, so I’m not expecting the best news,” he says.
Voss blindsided by Carlton’s second-half fadeout
Carlton coach Michael Voss says Port Adelaide were “too good” for his side tonight.
Voss says Carlton’s five-day break has “something to do” with the loss, but isn’t going to blame the loss entirely on the fixturing.
“You’ve still got to be able to find away to be consistent no matter what, and that is still something we are trying to achieve,” he says.
“That was some of the best footy we’ve played this year in the first half, so I didn’t necessarily see that coming in the second half.
“It didn’t seem like we had enough punch to be able to finish off the game the way we wanted to.”
Miles Bergman’s incredible defensive effort
With the game on the line, Port defender Miles Bergman made this incredible defensive play.
Patrick Cripps looked certain to send Carlton forward before a lunging effort from Bergman stopped the Blues skipper dead in his tracks, before doing the same to Ollie Hollands just seconds later.
It was an effort that was symbolic of Port’s hunger in the second half.
Another vote of confidence for Ken Hinkley
Ken Hinkley’s future has been the source of significant chatter all season long.
No matter what you think of the Port coach, he’s got his team in position for another top four finish this year.
Willem Drew waxing lyrical about his coach after that win.
“There’s been a fair bit of outside noise there, but our boys love playing with Kenny,” he tells Fox Footy in a post-game chat.
Port Adelaide’s major midfield wins
This match is another one which causes you to wonder why teams don’t employ taggers more often.
Ken Hinkley sent Willem Drew to Patrick Cripps right from the first bounce, and while Cripps still racked up 25 disposals, Drew was the second-highest ranked player on the crowd with 22 touches and 12 tackles.
With Zak Butters and Connor Rozee kept in largely in check, Brownlow Medal winner Ollie Wines stood up tall, finishing the match with 26 disposals, 10 clearances and six score involvements.
Jason Horne-Francis was also sensational in the second half, with 16 of his 23 disposals coming after half-time.
Number show Port Adelaide were deserved winners
In the end the numbers show that this was a well-deserved win for Port Adelaide, who dominated the key stats all night.
Here’s how the main numbers looked at the end of the match.
Disposals: Port Adelaide 352-326Inside 50s: Port Adelaide 56-45Clearances: Port Adelaide 42-33Centre Clearances: Port Adelaide 13-6Contested Possessions: Carlton 154-139Marks inside 50: Port Adelaide 13-9Tackles: Port Adelaide 91-72Tackles inside 50: Port Adelaide 17-7
FT: Port’s top four chances boosted by remarkable comeback
The siren sounds and what a win that is for Port Adelaide!
They looked gone for all money in the second quarter when Carlton slammed on seven goals to lead by 25 points at half-time.
It is just the second time in Port Adelaide’s history that they’ve erased a 25-pont half-time deficit to record a win.
Incredibly, Carlton managed just two more goals for the rest of the match, including just ONE goal in the second half.
Port with four unanswered goals in the final quarter to run out with what was in the end a relatively comfortable 14-point win.
The Power reversed the turnover game from the first half to the second.
After being outscored by 31 points from this source in the first half, they outscored the Blues by 23 in the second half.
They win the tenth of their last eleven games at Marvel and snap a three-game losing streak against the Blues.
Port awarded goal after ball hits umpire’s leg
MASSIVE call by the ARC here!
Darcy Byrne-Jones with the soccer attempt from inside the goal square and it looks like it’s going to sneak juuuuust past the left goal post before the ball hits the umpire’s leg.
After a lengthy review, the goal is given to the Power and it’s a 14-point lead to Port now with 3.24 left on the clock.
Time running out for the Blues
There’s 3.38 left on the clock and Carlton needs two goals.
Still time, but the clock is on Port’s side now.
Horne-Francis drills HUGE goal after switch
Port’s lead is out to two kicks as Jason Horne-Francis slots the set shot from directly in front 45m out!
Five minutes left and Port leads by eight points.
A terrific switch from Willem Drew as Carlton flooded Port’s attacking 50, and then Zak Butters found Horne-Francis with a lovely chipped kick inside 50.
Hollands denied on the goal line
Terrific stuff from Jordon Sweet!
A long range set shot from Elijah Hollands looks like it’s about to float through, and Sweet gets the palm on it.
Port clinging to a three-point lead with seven minutes left.
Still plenty of time for both teams.
Port’s pressure immense in the final quarter
There is SO much heat on the footy out there from both sides.
Port with the ball locked in their forward 50 at the moment as they press to get this lead above a goal.
The Power have 17 tackles inside 50 to Carlton’s seven, and it’s helped them own the territory in this quarter.
Port Adelaide hits the front after dubious free kick
PORT ADELAIDE HAS HIT THE FRONT!
Absolute scenes here in front of a STUNNED crowd inside Docklands Stadium.
Jackson Mead nails the set shot after a downfield free kick where Nic Newman in an attempted smother attempt flattened Darcy Byrne-Jones.
Not sure about that decision from the umpire.
Port leads the clearance count 18-7 so far in this half, their midfield all over Carlton’s at the moment.
Ratugolea gets Port within a kick
Port Adelaide with the first of the final term and three in a row!
Esava Ratugolea nails the set shot from close range after another excellent contested mark, his sixth mark of the night.
Carlton’s lead down to just two points. Port has kicked five of the last six goals of the match.
Rioli with a pair of misses to start the fourth
Willie Rioli with two straight behinds to start the final quarter, as Port continues to bang on the door.
Meanwhile, Ken Hinkley has activated his sub, as Quinton Narkle gets set to come on for Lachie Jones, who has been taken off with an Achilles issue.
Final quarter underway at the Docklands
Here we go!
20 minutes of play left in this proverbial eight-pointer at Docklands Stadium.
The first goal looms as HUGE. A massive difference between a four-point game and a 16-point game.
3QT: Game on after Port Adelaide’s brilliant quarter
It’s anyone’s game as the siren sounds to end the third quarter.
Port Adelaide wrestled back Carlton’s momentum in that quarter, kicking three goals to one, and they could’ve had more.
A Carlton lead which once sat at 31 points late in the second quarter has been whittled down to just 10 points.
Port well on top around the ground. They lead the disposal count 272-260, the inside 50s 42-37 and the clearances 36-21.
This match is placed eerily similarly to the last time these two teams faced off in Round 12.
On that occasion, the Blues led by seven points at the final change before kicking eight goals to three in the last quarter.
Will history repeat once again?
Farrell drills set shot as Port closes in
Two in a row to Port Adelaide and the game is well and truly on here at the Docklands!
A rushed kick in defence from Ollie Hollands lands in the hands of Kane Farrell 45m out from goal.
The left-footer goes back and drills it post-high and Carlton’s lead is down to 11 points.
Rioli pumped after snap in heavy traffic
Willie Rioli gets in on the act for Port Adelaide!
Some lovely patience from Frankie Evans, who found himself deep in the pocket under some pressure.
Evans eventually snaps it back into dangerous territory, and Rioli kicks the typical crumber’s goal from just outside the goal square.
Port definitely pressing here.
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