1. Eagles break hearts again
The Eagles have all but secured a home final after an inspirational win at the Adelaide Oval. A Mark LeCras goal from close range put them within two points before Jeremy McGovern’s goal-after-the-siren matchwinner. West Coast love playing Port at the Adelaide Oval ….they’ve won their last five against the Power at the venue. It was deja vu for Port which is still smarting from its after-the-siren elimination final loss to the Eagles last year. The loss follows the crushing Showdown 45, raising questions about the team’s mettle when the pressure is on. But critics should cut them some slack given their injury toll.

EAGLES DOSE OF DEJA VU Full match coverage and stats

2. Triple blow in injury-marred 3rd quarter
Injuries to Paddy Ryder and Charlie Dixon have put a huge dent in the Power’s finals chances. Ryder donned the tracksuit top and took the bench with what appears to be a hip injury. Dixon fell awkwardly following a marking contest with former teammate Brendon Ah Chee and needed assistance to hobble the width of the ground. The last time Ryder was sidelined with a hip flexor strain, the Power suffered by using Dixon, Justin Westhoff and Dougal Howard in the ruck. Will Ken Hinkley bite the bullet this time around and finally player Billy Frampton (who was an emergency for the Round 19 match against the Bulldogs)? Dixon hasn’t been a big goal scorer this year but the Power’s attack centres around him drawing defenders and bringing the ball to ground. A horror third quarter also saw small defender Dan Houston stretchered off the field with a neck brace on.

3. Ryan screamer - Darling dazzles
West Coast’s Liam Ryan sprung from a pack of players to take a screamer in the fourth quarter. He got a ride on Nathan Vardy’s shoulder while a couple of Power defenders failed to impact the contest. Importantly he went back and slotted the long set shot to reduce the margin to 10 points.  Jack Darling’s impressive catch came early in the third quarter. A quick kick into the pocket left him one-on-one with Tom Clurey. The Eagles forward lost his footing but took a strong mark as he fell on his back. Unfortunately for the visitors he didn’t make the Power pay, kicking a behind from a tight angle, but from close range. It was a highlight for the Eagles, but Clurey’s uncompromising junkyard dog approach, and the Power’s other defenders, delivered another miserly performance.

WATCH Eagles rule the skies

4. Power in free fall
After losing four of their last five games, the Power have gone from top-four contenders to a side now just scrambling for a place in the eight. Their best football is inspiring, but their lapses are often costly. It’ll be a dramatic fall from grace if they miss finals, but after four losses in the past five weeks, and a mounting injury count,  Port finds itself in a precarious situation. 

5. Polec powers on despite Roos’ recruiting hunt
Power coach Ken Hinkley admits his star wingman Jared Polec has a lot of thinking to do following reports the Kangaroos have offered him big money to switch teams. The ‘cash v club’ decision hasn’t affected Polec’s on-field performance though, with a solid match at Adelaide Oval. While he collected 24 disposals, he managed just two in the final term. Will a late slide down the ladder affect his decision? Only time will tell.