PORT Adelaide ruckman Scott Lycett faces possible suspension for a sling tackle in his side's 49-point trouncing of an injury-hit Adelaide.
Forward Todd Marshall booted three goals in Port's 12.15 (87) to 5.8 (38) win in Saturday night's Showdown at Adelaide Oval.
But Lycett looks likely to be in tribunal trouble for a dangerous tackle which concussed Adelaide's Ned McHenry in the first quarter.
The Crows lost McHenry and fellow small forward Lachlan Murphy (ankle) inside 22 minutes of the game, while Power ball-winner Dan Houston was subbed out with a shoulder injury in the third term.
POWER v CROWS Full match coverage and stats
Premiership fancy Port was largely untroubled by last year's wooden-spooners, with Marshall's scoring supported by two goals each to Charlie Dixon and Mitch Georgiades.
Celebrated Power trio Travis Boak, Robbie Gray and Ollie Wines and winger Karl Amon were all influential in slippery conditions.
The Crows lost McHenry and fellow small forward Lachlan Murphy (ankle) inside 22 minutes of the game, while Power ball-winner Dan Houston was subbed out with a shoulder injury in the third term.
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Premiership fancy Port was largely untroubled by last year's wooden-spooners, with Marshall's scoring supported by two goals each to Charlie Dixon and Mitch Georgiades.
Celebrated Power trio Travis Boak, Robbie Gray and Ollie Wines and winger Karl Amon were all influential in slippery conditions.
Four minutes on, Crows captain Rory Sloane, making his comeback from a four-game absence following surgery to fix a detached retina in his left eye, departed the field with a nasty cut above the same eye, but he returned to action.
Port led 2.4 to 1.0 at quarter-time and created a 21-point lead midway through the second stanza before Adelaide rallied, only to be cruelled by missing three late goal chances.
The Power were 20 points up at half-time with the Crows scoring just one goal through the opening two quarters, and that was from a first-term free kick to Jimmy Rowe.
Adelaide showed some pluck to sneak within 13 points some 10 minutes into the third term, but it was the closest it got thereafter.
Port overcame Houston's injury to score four of the last five goals for the quarter and held a defining 35-point lead at the final break.
The Power then booted three goals to one in the final term while restricting the Crows to their second-lowest Showdown score, just surpassing their 5.5 (35) when beaten by 75 points last year.
Big man, big game, big trouble?
It was a big night for Scott Lycett, dominating in the ruck and around the ground, but it could come at a big cost. Midway through the first quarter Lycett grabbed Ned McHenry in a tackle and span him full circle, slamming the young Crow’s head into the ground and then keeping him wrapped up like a spider bundling an already paralysed fly. McHenry got to his feet, but was so far out of it you could almost see a dozen cartoon crows circling his head, before being subbed out. Match Review Officer Michael Christian will assess the incident on Sunday, with any suspension to rule Lycett out of the massive clash against the Western Bulldogs.
Cowboys don’t grow old, but they sure can slow down quick
Taylor Walker had 20 goals in the first four rounds coinciding with three reasonably unexpected wins for last year’s wooden spooners. In the next four games, all losses, he’s slotted a total of seven more, including being held goalless from just six disposals in Showdown 49. Just weeks ago we were asking when Walker would re-sign for next year, but if Tex keeps slowing down at this rate he’ll be in the Adelaide Hills Nursing Home before the bye.
Are Charlie’s chocolates a little soft centred?
With two goals on Saturday night Charlie Dixon has managed multiple returns in five of eight outings in 2021, but is yet to slot a major against a top-eight team with duck eggs against West Coast, Richmond and Brisbane. Apart from a one-off bag of six against the Eagles last year, big Charlie managed a total of seven goals in seven games against other 2020 finalists. If the Power are to switch on in September they need Charlie firing against the best sides, something that must be as much of a concern for Ken Hinkley as Port’s travelling woes.
PORT ADELAIDE 2.4 4.6 9.10 12.15 (87)
ADELAIDE 1.0 1.4 4.5 5.8 (38)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Marshall 3, Dixon 2, Georgiades 2, Rozee, Drew, Fantasia, Farrell, Motlop
Adelaide: Thilthorpe 2, Fogarty, Rowe, Sloane
BEST
Port Adelaide: Dixon, Lycett, Boak, Amon, Rozee, Farrell
Adelaide: Seedsman, Laird, Sloane, Keays, Schoenberg
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Houston (arm)
Adelaide: McHenry (concussion), Murphy (ankle)
SUBSTITUTES
Port Adelaide: Martin Frederick (replaced Houston)
Adelaide: Andrew McPherson (replaced McHenry)
CROWD: TBC at Adelaide Oval
