ROUND 12
Saturday 8th of June.

PORT 7.1 14.2 21.6 23.13 (151)
GLENELG 3.3 6.4 8.7 12.9 (81)

Port rockets to the top

By Paul Kermode.
Port Adelaide has rocketed to the top of the SANFL ladder after a comprehensive 70-point win against Glenelg at Glenelg Oval yesterday.
Inspired by a dominant performance from ruckman Ryan O'connor, the magpies opened up an 82-point lead midway through the final term before cruising to a 23.13 (151) to 12.9 (81) victory which saw them leapfrog the Eagles to the top of the table.
To compound glenelg's woes came confirmation last night Brad Stephens fractured his ankle and will likely miss the rest of the season.
Although Port had contributors all over the field yesterday, it was O'Connor who stood as a colossus above the contest, controlling the centre square and ball-ups around the ground.
His physical presence and deft hands proved unstoppable for Scott Mannion, Adam Hay and Tiger vice-captain Matthew Golding, and he was the driving force behind Port's win.
The former Essendon and sydney strong man paved the way for a dominant Magpie midfield, which delivered the ball into the forward line with such precision that Port had a half-time score of 14.2.
"We got annihilated out of the centre today,"Glenelg coach Brenton honor said after the game.
"I think they just preyed on our mistakes and that really deflates you. we had some good moments, but every time we made an error, they just capitolised."
The match was a shootout in the early going, with the Magpies storming to a 25-point lead in the opening 12 minutes by piling on the first four goals of the game.
Glenelg struck back to trial by just 5 points after Samuel Logan, who was clearly the Tiger's best player, booted his second goal. But three late goals to the Magpies - including a major after the quarter time siren to Mark Harwood, who was playing against his old club in his Port debut - gave the visitors a 22-point break at the first change.
glenelg fought back once more, to narrow the gap to 11 points four minutes into the second term, but that proved to be its last hurrah, as Port piled on seven of the last eight goals in the half, to take a 46-point lead into the main break.
O'Connor was at the centre of it all, but he had fine support from the emerging midfielder Tom Carr, defenders Nigel Fiegert and Jared Poulton, James Wilson and Sam Phillipou (five goals).
The magpies now go into the state game break with an 8-2 recordand the knowledge that their form is building.
Port's next match , against Norwood, will give the club a clear idea of just how far it has progressed,"I think we're probably playing better this time aroundthan we were when we played Glenelg earlier in the year, but we still havn't gelled completely," assistant coach Gary Tredrea said.
The Tigers had a remarkable effort from Logan in attack, who booted six of his side's first 10 goals.

BEST PLAYERS: Logan, Cook, Bode, D.Raidis, Burke, McKenzie.
SCORERS: Logan 6.1, Hams 2.0, Bode 1.2, Thompson 1.1, Maher, Stephens 1.0, Mcentee 0.2, Byrne, Shir 0.1, rushed 0.1.
INJURIES: Shir (back), Sherwoodcorked thigh), Stephens (ankle).
CROWD: 2992.