- Crows hammered Port Adelaide in Showdown match
- Power’s Miles Bergman had a night to forget
Footy fans were left in disbelief when Saturday night’s Adelaide Crows vs Port Power match began with a shocking error right from the first bounce.
With a crowd of more than 46,000 packed into Adelaide Oval, Port star Miles Bergman swooped in seconds after play began, grabbed the first clearance of the match – and promptly booted the ball about 50 metres downfield… in the wrong direction.
To make matters even worse, his punt fell straight to Crows forward Darcy Fogarty, who marked it and kicked the first goal of what turned out to be a very lopsided win for his side.
‘He’s kicked it the wrong way!’ an incredulous Dwayne Russell said in commentary for Fox Sports.
‘He’s kicked it straight to – this is hard to believe – Fogarty’s going to have a line-up at goal.
‘Can you believe that a player would kick the wrong way? How could a professional do that?’
Port Power star Miles Bergman appeared to get his team off to an ideal start against the Crows on Saturday night when he won the ball from the opening bounce (pictured)
However, he then stunned fans and commentators by kicking the ball in completely the wrong direction (pictured), gifting the Crows an easy goal
Things didn’t get any better for Bergman (pictured with the ball during the match) and his teammates as they were smashed by 98 points
The commentary panel weren’t the only ones left stunned by Bergman’s brain snap.
‘That is unforgivable.. what a Wally,’ one fan wrote on X.
‘I’m a Port fan and this is hilarious to me,’ another wrote after seeing the incident on TikTok.
Other comments included, ‘Great kick! Forwards could not ask for better service’, and, ‘Getting paid thousands and can’t even remember which way he’s meant to kick.’
After the match, Crows star Jake Soligo showed some compassion for his rival.
‘I’ve had to think about not doing that a couple of times, it is hard,’ he told the ABC.
‘But it hit Fog [Fogarty] right on the t**.’
Once that early moment of madness was out of the way, the Crows’ Riley Thilthorpe dominated during his team’s record 98-point belting of their arch foe, which lifted Adelaide to the top of the AFL ladder.
Thilthorpe booted three goals in a 20.13 (133) to 5.5 (35) victory – the biggest margin in a Showdown – on a sodden Saturday night at Adelaide Oval.
Bergman (pictured right) even got some kind words from a Crows star after his brain fade
Crows forward Riley Thilthorpe (pictured) was dominant as his team scored their biggest ever win over their arch rivals
The Crows will sleep on top of the ladder, though Collingwood will likely retake pole position on Sunday with a win over Richmond.
Adelaide will finish the round no lower than second after logging five consecutive victories for the first time under sixth-year coach Matthew Nicks.
‘You dream about performances like that,’ Nicks said.
The sole blemish on Saturday night was a hamstring injury to Max Michalanney, who was substituted in the third quarter.
The 201cm-tall Thilthorpe defied the heavy rain with his influential 19-disposal display featuring six clearances, and veteran Taylor Walker and Ben Keays booted three goals each.
Adelaide’s Jake Soligo (35 disposals) and Sam Berry (20 touches) scored two goals each.
On-baller James Peatling (26, one goal) and captain and 150-gamer Jordan Dawson (21, one goal) were also prominent, while Mark Keane and Josh Worrell ruled in defence.
The Power slumped to an 8-11 win-loss record amid more concerns with Lachie Jones substituted because of a corked thigh and Jack Lukosius suffering a calf injury.
Port vice-captain Zak Butters (34 touches), Ollie Wines (25) and skipper Connor Rozee (22) battled against the tide while Jed McEntee kicked two goals.
