Port Adelaide star Dan Houston has kicked one of the most remarkable goals of the season as the Power downed the Bombers after the siren at the MCG.
The wet footy did not hurt Houston, who belted it through from outside 50 to give Port Adelaide a 11. 12 (78) to 10. 14. (74) win.
Port Adelaide looked home and hosed when it went up by 17 points with under 10 minutes left, but was stunned as Essendon kicked three quick goals to hit the front inside the final two minutes.
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One final foray forward had the ball deep in Port Adelaide’s attacking 50 and with the seconds winding down, Bombers winger Nic Martin attempted to clear the ball out of the danger area, but only succeeded in kicking it to Houston who took a sliding mark right on the 50-metre line.
Despite taking the mark with 17 seconds left, Houston backed himself to convert and did so handsomely, even with half the Essendon side guarding the goal line.
“I didn’t actually (know if he could kick it) but I was like if there’s any way I’m going to miss it’s by having a crack,” Houston told Seven after the game.
“Trent McKenzie told me if I missed it he’d still love me, which meant a bit. I think the wet ball helped it sail through.”
Essendon players weren’t the only ones left stunned by Houston’s heroics, with his own teammates scratching their heads even during a wild post-siren celebration.
”That was unbelievable. I’m still speechless,” Port star Zak Butters said.
“He’s a really good kick of the footy though, I’ve seen him do that a lot of times at training, but in the wet (when) you can’t run around on the angle, I doubted him a little bit, but that was wild.
“When he struck it I could see that it was flushed …. there was a bit of doubt with the umpire, but I was going nuts anyway, fake it till you make it.”
The win is Port Adelaide’s 12th in a row – a club record – and the second at the MCG this season.
It was a bitter pill to swallow for Essendon, which now sits eighth on the ladder after the loss, while Port Adelaide drew level with ladder leaders Collingwood on 52 premiership points.
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