Energy insist Jonas bump unintentional in win over Eagles

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley described Tom Jonas’s collision with Jai Culley as “instinctive” and “unintentional” however the Energy captain faces sure scrutiny from the match evaluation officer following a 40-point victory in opposition to West Coast.

Late within the first half of Port’s 16.13 (109) to 10.9 (69) win at Adelaide Oval, Jonas crunched heads with Culley after electing to bump the younger Eagle, leaving him sporting a shiner close to his left eye socket.

After being assessed, Culley accomplished the sport, booting three of his team-high 4 objectives after halftime, however MRO Michael Christian this season has proven an inclination to improve incidents on their potential to trigger damage.

“From floor degree, which I used to be at once more at the moment, I noticed a head conflict which is an unlucky a part of the sport,” Hinkley mentioned.

“That was an instinctive motion.

“It was only a collision that occurs in video games of soccer, however there may be some threat with that as a result of we have seen what is going on on.

“On the incident, we should always go on the message that the participant stayed on the bottom and bought via the entire sport.

“I believe that is actually necessary to recollect too with unintentional head clashes.”

Whereas Jonas faces an anxious wait, ahead Todd Marshall will definitely miss Friday night time’s blockbuster in opposition to ladder-leading St Kilda at Marvel Stadium.

Marshall was substituted out with concussion halfway via the second interval after his head by chance collided with Liam Duggan’s shoulder.

Connor Rozee (29 disposals, two objectives) claimed his second successive Peter Badcoe VC Medal as best-afield, whereas Jeremy Finlayson (5 objectives) and Willem Drew (25 disposals, one aim) additionally starred because the Energy made it three straight wins.

“It wasn’t excellent however nonetheless a pleasant, robust efficiency from the staff,” Hinkley mentioned.

“You may take a 40-point win at first of the day, all day lengthy.”

Port had been cleaner and had extra contributors when it mattered, significantly throughout their match-winning 6.4 to 1.3 second time period, which turned a slender five-point quarter-time edge right into a commanding 36-point halftime cushion.

Finlayson slotted his fourth aim within the opening 90 seconds of the third interval earlier than dishing off to Sam Powell-Pepper moments later as Port pushed 48 factors clear.

Behind Bailey Williams’ centre-square grunt – within the air and on the deck – West Coast’s seasoned campaigners Tim Kelly and Andrew Gaff greater than matched Port’s engine room within the clinches.

The Eagles, as they did on the similar venue six days earlier in opposition to Geelong in Collect Spherical, matched their opposition after halftime, however the harm had already been completed.

Their swelling damage listing additionally took one other hit with luckless captain Luke Shuey, again from a hamstring challenge, hurting his left ankle in an Ollie Wines deal with early within the sport and ultimately being substituted within the third time period.

“We’re discovering it arduous to play our greatest footy with 16-17 accidents, which is a problem for any membership,” West Coast coach Adam Simpson mentioned.

“There have been phases at the moment that I assumed we had the sport in our palms to a sure diploma, then there have been occasions the place it slipped away.

“Fairly clearly, that was the second quarter.”

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