‘We're back in town’ says Williams

PORT ADELAIDE coach Mark Williams admits there’s a sense of destiny surrounding his young group heading into the finals.

At half time of the West Coast versus Essendon game, Port Adelaide’s chances of snaring second spot and a home final looked all but over.

But as has been the case on several occasions this season, the football gods, or in this case the Bombers, conspired to rekindle the hope at Alberton.

Scott Lucas’ seven-goal last quarter reduced the Eagles’ winning margin to just eight, meaning the Power needed a win, by any amount, to secure second spot.

“I suppose today when West Coast was up by eight or nine goals it looked like we’d have to win by 20 goals tonight [to secure second spot].

“Scotty [Lucas] got the Eagles didn’t he? Good on you Scotty. He was one of my boys [at Essendon] when he was 16 and I really appreciate it, Scott,” Williams laughed.

“They’ve been a few cards falling our way and to take the opportunity when it presents itself is really important.

“We’ve come from behind and won some beautiful games in the last couple of weeks. Those wins have been character building and belief building and those sort of things can carry you forward.”

On Saturday night, against a Fremantle team without ten first-string players, the Power stormed to a 47-point lead in the second term before lapsing and watching the margin diminish to four points.

“I thought we started really well and finished the same way. The middle two quarters weren’t too good, but it’s nice to come from finishing 12th last year to having a home final and finishing second. That’s brilliant,” Williams said.

“We certainly can’t deliver two quarters like we did tonight and expect to go higher places. So we’ll certainly have to clean that up.”

With the game in the balance Williams dragged his troops to the outer side of AAMI Stadium in an attempt to reignite the fire amongst the team.

“We haven’t been to the other side of the ground and they have a great record of getting our players up and over the line,” he said.

“What did I say to them? Just basically that the game is on the line, the opposition has put it up to you and you determine where you want to get to.”

Williams said West Coast would be treated with the utmost respect when they come to town for the qualifying final next week.

“That game [against West Coast] will be very, very tough. I can imagine [Chris] Judd’s been rested up and ready to go and [Daniel] Kerr will probably jump up, pull the bandages off and play as well, so they’ll be a much different side to what we saw today,” he said.

“It’s going to be one huge game worthy of a sell-out because West Coast are the premiers and we’re back in town.”