THE Magpies meet SANFL pace-setters Central District on Saturday, after putting together back-to-back victories for the first time in three years.
Port finished Sunday’s game strongly, scoring 7 goals to 2 in the last quarter to beat Sturt by 38 points, and lift themselves to 6th on the SANFL ladder.
Coach Tony Bamford was pleased his young side backed up from the previous week’s 30-point victory over South Adelaide at Alberton.
“The fact that we’ve won two in a row was a big thing for our footy club,” Bamford said.
“We’ve been talking about it for a while now. We’ve had some chances to do it, but we haven’t been able to nail it. It’s good for us to be able to finally tick that box and for the players to say: ‘Yeah, OK, we can repeat a good performance now’.”
“So hopefully that will help us grow with some confidence and self-belief in what we’re doing and will get us to where we want to go.”
With their fourth win of the season relegating the Double Blues to bottom position, the Magpies meet the top-ranked Bulldogs for the first time in 2011. They clash at 2.10pm on Saturday at Playford Alive Oval, where Port lost its two encounters last season.
“We’ve had some good performances out there and some bad performances out there,” Bamford said.
“In round one last year we lost by just 8 points, and then we played them again later in the year and got touched up by about 50 points.”
Central District come into the game after suffering a one-point loss to Norwood on Saturday and Bamford knows the team that’s won the past four Premierships will be stinging.
“Central District don’t like losing … and they always get up for Port Adelaide. They didn’t play very well and they almost won the game. Good teams can do that. When they’re not playing that well the can sneak away with the win,” he said.
“So, if we’re ever going to catch them on the back foot this is the week we’ll do it provided we come with all the right things, the right attitude. If we get away to the right start anything is possible.”
The Magpies will be out to correct Sunday’s slow start against Sturt, and will be looking for a four-quarter effort. Bamford has reason for hope knowing the Roosters got within 7 points at Elizabeth in Round 9.
“North Adelaide played them out there two weeks ago. Had a terrible first quarter and an awesome following three quarters and almost won. So they are beatable after a bad start, but you don’t want to take that risk. Ideally you want to get away to a good start and put the pressure on them.”
But the Magpies mentor is looking for a quality effort as much as a victory.
“I expect that our players to perform the same way they did last week,”
Bamford said.
“Now, whether that’s good enough for us to win and beat the best team in the competition remains to be seen. What we don’t want now is for us to go back to some poor habits and some poor performance levels now that we’ve set a benchmark two weeks in a row. If that’s good enough to get us a win, great. If it’s not, we take our medicine and move on.”
Bamford paid credit to courageous on-baller Zane Kirkwood whose efforts earned him best-afield honours against Sturt. The coach said the 20 year-old is benefitting from an adjusted pre-season after his form suffered late in 2010.
“If he can hold (his current form) now, you know through the middle part of the year and late in the year, that’d be great for us because he’s an important player. He plays a position inside mid that with his body, he shouldn’t really play in that position. But he’s happy to do that hunting inside the contest and coming against bigger bodies he’s been doing really well.”
Another highlight of Sunday’s victory was 19 year-old Justin Hoskin's 55-metre torpedo goal in just his third game at League level.
“It was a good goal. It was a ripper,” Bamford said. “He doesn’t mind having a long dob at the sticks. He hit it sweet and it just kept going and going and going and the boys loved it.”
“It was really good to see. It was good to see the players enjoy that moment. It’s something as a coaching group, we’ve been asking them to celebrate themselves a bit more often during a game. To see all the players come to the middle and get around ‘Hosko’ was really pleasing the way they did that.”
Bamford admitted it wasn’t quite within team rules, saying: “As I said after the game, if he kicks it that’s good. If he misses it he’s in trouble.”
The Magpies have lost Luke Slattery (injury) and Ivan Maric (Adelaide Crows) and recalled Adam Eckermann and Nick Madden.
Port Adelaide v Central District at Playford Alive Oval from 2.10pm Saturday.
