Media articles & stats: Young Tigers overcome by poised Power

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RFC headline: Young Tigers overcome by poised Power

AFL headline: Port feasts on young Tigers in Boak's record breaker

It was one-way traffic from the opening siren as Port Adelaide bounces back from round one belting

By AAP
with Howard Kimber
22 March 2025

PORT ADELAIDE   6.6    13.11    19.13    21.14 (140)
RICHMOND          1.3      3.6       6.10      9.14 (68)

GOALS
Port Adelaide: Georgiades 4, Powell-Pepper 3, Rioli 3, Rozee 2, Burgoyne 2, Wines, Richards, Horne-Francis, Farrell, Evans, Byrne-Jones, Berry
Richmond: Armstrong 2, Campbell 2, McIntosh, Lalor, Fawcett, Blight, Bauer

BEST
Port Adelaide: Rozee, Powell-Pepper, Burgoyne, Farrell, Drew, Georgiades
Richmond: Mansell, Miller, Hopper, Armstrong, Campbell, Blight

INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Lukosius (knee)
Richmond: Banks (concussion)

SUBSTITUTES
Port Adelaide: Christian Moraes, replaced Jack Lukosius in the first quarter
Richmond: Kaleb Smith, replaced Sam Banks in the second quarter

Crowd: TBC at Adelaide Oval

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CAPTAIN Connor Rozee has led Port Adelaide to an emphatic 72-point thrashing of Richmond in an about-face of fortunes for the two clubs.

Rozee was superb with 39 disposals and two goals in the Power's 21.14 (140) to 9.14 (68) victory on Saturday at Adelaide Oval.

After last week copping their heaviest loss in 13 seasons under coach Ken Hinkley - a 91-point drubbing from Collingwood - Rozee was pivotal in the Power's on-field response.

In contrast, the Tigers, after an upset triumph over Carlton in round one, fell flat and were never in the hunt.

Richmond conceded the initial three goals in 10 minutes as Port, fired by Rozee and ex-skipper Travis Boak, set a dominant tone.

The Power led 6.6 to 1.3 at quarter-time, with Rozee collecting a dozen disposals, while 36-year-old Boak gathered 10 touches for the term in yet another milestone match.

Boak featured in his 393rd official game for the Power, breaking the club's record for most games of SANFL legend Russell Ebert.

Port's healthy quarter-time advantage came despite losing recruit Jack Lukosius, who was substituted with a knee injury.

The Power peeled off another seven majors in the second stanza to boost their lead to 65 points at half-time.

The spree included a stunner from Sam Powell-Pepper who, from 40 metres out and treading on the boundary line, converted on the run.

Richmond slipped 84 points behind midway through the third term when Rozee converted a set shot, but the visitors showed some belated pluck by booting three of the next four goals.

However, Port then kicked away again to lead by 81 points at the final change, before closing out their resounding win.

Power forward Mitch Georgiades booted four goals, Willie Rioli and Powell-Pepper slotted three each, and Jase Burgoyne (two goals, 32 disposals) was a standout.

Rozee's dynamic display included seven clearances and six inside-50s, Boak finished with 28 touches, and Jackson Mead (30), half-back Kane Farrell (31) and Ollie Wines (33) were prolific ball-winners.

Richmond's second-gamer Harry Armstrong kicked two goals, as did Seth Campbell, and midfielder Jacob Hopper was the visitors' chief ball-getter with 24 disposals.

Pepper adds more than just a bit of bite
Power hard man Sam Powell-Pepper is an often underrated force for his team, so when he missed most of 2024 with a knee injury the Power lost not only a lot of its muscle, but also its heart. Like many of his teammates Powell-Pepper was pretty much ineffective against Collingwood in round one, but he was on fire against Richmond and set the ground alight in the second quarter with a magnificent goal from the boundary.

Stats can lie, but there's no comeback to these
Richmond fans came into 2025 with development of young players their main concern, so when their side fell 41 points behind Carlton in round one a win was never on their minds. Then things changed, but not for long. The Tigers trailed by 65 points at half-time on Saturday, but more telling were the stats at the long break, down 257 disposals to 141. The second half saw a much more efficient effort but they still finished the match 180 disposals in arrears. Everyone is expecting a yellow and black rollercoaster this season, and this sort of deep dip will have even the faithful gulping for breath.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1283741/port-feasts-on-young-tigers-in-boaks-record-breaker

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Richmond fans quickly turn on ‘terrible’ Tigers after Port belting

A week is a long time in footy, with Richmond fans turning on the fledgling team following an “insipid” belting against Port Adelaide.

James Dampney
News.com.au
March 22, 2025 - 8:14PM

While they had their moments, the Tigers were brought back to earth on Saturday and their fans vented their frustration.

To borrow an old saying in the sports world – what a difference a week makes.

Richmond was the talk of the AFL world in round one for its stirring comeback victory over a Carlton side expected to challenge for finals football ahead of the new campaign.

Fast forward nine days and Tigers fans were dealt a harsh reality check in a 21.14 (140) to 9.14 (68) mauling against the Power at Adelaide Oval.

And many of them weren’t taking it very well.

Smarting from its own 91-point loss to Collingwood last week, Port Adelaide began in some style, kicking six goals to one for a 33-point lead at the first change.

A brief spot fire broke out when Port’s Jason Horne-Francis shoved Jayden Short right before quarter-time, but that was one of the few times Adem Yze’s side took the fight up to the Power.

The Power slammed through seven goals in the second term and another six in the third to break open an 81-point lead with a quarter to play.

Fears of a 100-point thrashing were allayed after Richmond kicked three goals to two in the final term and Fox Footy’s Dwayne Russell was trying to lift up the young side.

“It’s been a lot better for Richmond than it reads,” he said late in the game.

“It reads as a 73-point loss as it stands now, but they’ve kicked 9.13, they’ve found some players, they’ve looked good at times and they’ve got a winnable game next week.”

That game is against fellow strugglers St Kilda at Marvel Stadium, but Richmond fans weren’t sharing the same sentiments as Russell on social media.

Port had the top 11 players on the ground in terms of AFL fantasy points and 11 of the top 13 possessions winners.

While the Tigers are blooding a number of youngsters, including No. 1 pick Sam Lalor, fans were aiming their vitriol towards the senior players.

One fan asked on X: “Kids having a dip but seriously are Taranto and Hopper out there?”

Another wrote: “This is appalling to be honest. All of our senior players are terrible. Taranto may as well not be there.”

A third stated: “The kids are giving it a genuine crack and the senior players look like they don’t want to be there. Throw the kids in the guts let them have a crack!”

A fourth declared: “(Liam) Fawcett’s goal was great. (Jacob) Bauer fighting hard. (Rhyan) Mansell showing some guts. But where are our leaders? Where’s the fight we saw last week? I know we expected some results like this heading into the year, but after last week I expected to see the boys up and about!”

Another said: “All yahoo last week. Crashing back to earth this week. Insipid display.”

After his Rising Star nomination last week, amid comparisons to Tigers great Dustin Martin, Lalor finished with 10 disposals, four tackles and a goal on Saturday.

Hopper was Richmond’s leading ball winner, finishing with 24 touches and six clearances, while Taranto had 17 disposals, eight tackles and four clearances.

Port had no less than 12 goalkickers, led by Mitch Georgiades’ four, while skipper Connor Rozee starred with 39 possessions, seven clearances and two goals.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-fans-quickly-turn-on-terrible-tigers-after-port-belting/news-story/dbd534d5f8b1bcdb0d72e50a22f54b5e