ID :
139837
Mon, 08/30/2010 - 00:36
Auther :

Port beat Tigers, spoil Cousins farewell



Port Adelaide have spoilt Ben Cousins' AFL farewell, holding off Richmond by 10
points at Etihad Stadium.
A 10-goal second quarter from the Power was decisive and they withstood a big Tigers
comeback in the second half to win 18.14 (122) to 16.16 (112) on Sunday.
Port have won five out of seven matches since Matthew Primus took over as caretaker
coach.
Cousins appeared to aggravate his hamstring injury in the third term, but played out
the match and had 21 disposals.
He did a lap of the ground post-match and was chaired from the field, with Richmond
and Port players forming a guard of honour for the 2005 Brownlow Medallist.
The Tigers also chaired off Graham Polak, who did not play on Sunday, but also
announced his AFL retirement last week.
Richmond's Troy Taylor goalled midway through the final term to put Richmond ahead,
but the goal was disallowed.
The Tigers had kicked the first four goals of the final term and looked likely to
snatch a miraculous win.
But after the Taylor goal was disallowed because of a free kick to Port, the Power
rallied with three goals to kill off the comeback.
Port onballer Travis Boak was best afield, while Richmond's Coleman Medallist Jack
Riewoldt kicked three goals to finish the season with 78.
Richmond opened the match well, kicking the first two goals of the match, but Port
quickly rallied and scores were level at quarter-time.
The Power then swamped the Tigers in the second term, kicking 10.2 to 1.3.
That equalled the club record for the most goals in a quarter.
A goal to Justin Westhoff early in the third term extended Port's lead to a
game-high 59 points.
But the Tigers unexpectedly rallied in the third term, kicking six of the next seven
goals.
Richmond reduced the margin to only 28 points at the last change and kept coming
before Port stopped their seven-goal run.
But midway through the third term, Cousins was forced from the field after appearing
to hurt his hamstring again.
Cousins had suffered the hamstring injury last weekend and he was clearly not fit
for his farewell match.
He started each quarter on the bench, but returned to the field for the final term
and was the on the ground for the final siren.



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