We did it for Darryl: Lonie

The farmers won’t be the only ones praying for rain in the coming months, with Port Adelaide fast becoming the AFL’s wet weather specialist.

The Power notched up their second win in the wet in successive weeks, flushing out St Kilda by 53 points, a margin better suited to a game played in dry conditions.

Power onballer Nathan Lonie said the team fired up for veteran defender Darryl Wakelin’s 250th game.

“Milestone games are important for us and for Darryl so I’m glad we got the points tonight for him,” Lonie said after the game.

“It was a great win and being four and one really sets us up.”

The game was also important for Lonie, who silenced his critics with an impressive performance on a rain-soaked AAMI Stadium. The raking left-footer took to the game like a duck to water, picking up nine possessions in the first quarter alone.

“They were pretty difficult conditions but I got out there and played my role for the team, and it was nice that we won pretty well in the end. It was good to get a bit of the ball, but the most important thing is that we’re winning.”

Rather than showing weary legs after the heavy conditions at the MCG last week, the Power appeared to have used that game as a primer for the match against the Saints. After a dry opening bounce, the rain set in five minutes into the first quarter, before turning into a downpour late in the third term. Lonie said the weather gave a few of the boys flashbacks to the NAB Cup game against Geelong earlier this year.

“I didn’t think I’d ever play in conditions like Darwin again,” Lonie said.

“I know we need the rain but it would’ve been nice if it could’ve held off for a few hours. But it was still good to play in and even better to win.”

Port Adelaide led by just 15 points going into the main break but the flood gates opened in the third when the Power slammed on 6.6 to St Kilda’s solitary point.

“In the first half we were well beaten in the clearances and hard-ball gets but I think at half time we sort of turned that around. In those conditions you have to do those things well to win the game and that’s what we did,” Lonie said.

“St Kilda has a great midfield. They were showing us up at half time, and that’s what Choco drummed into us. To the boys’ credit we got on top of them and to come out like we did in the third quarter really blew the game open.”

The form of skipper Warren Tredrea was also inspiring. Tredrea brought the single glove back into fashion, hauling in seven marks and booting 3.2 with the slippery ball. Chad Cornes had the soap on a rope and earned another best on ground performance with his 31 touches.

“The conditions didn’t really favour a big key forward, but Tredders kept us in the game in the first half with two goals. He was just terrific,” Lonie said.

“It was just an even team performance. Obviously Chad played well and Michael Pettigrew too, but overall everyone did their bit.”

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.