Portland kick away late to defeat Hamilton on Anzac Day

The Tigers defeated the Kangaroos 14.12 (96) to 10.13 (73) at Melville Oval to start its season undefeated. But in his address post-match Portland coach Jarrod Holt said the group needed to be better if it's to challenge the competition's elite.

"We knew it'd be tough up here," he said. "After the start, we were probably lucky we weren't five goals down at quarter time.

"They dominated us in the middle and up forward, but to the boys credit, they didn't drop their heads on that.

"It probably gives us a bit of confidence going forward, knowing its not always going to be on our terms, but that we kept going back to what we know works for us."

In a game of territory and contested possession, each team had its moments of dominance to stay within the hunt. With Hamilton down by six points heading into the final term, it quickly drew first blood to level the scores three minutes in.

The Tigers continued to put the on pressure up forward, paying off when Tom Sharp goaled to stretch the lead back to nine. A goal to Daniel Jackson, his second of the day, was almost the breathing room the Tigers needed midway through the quarter, though Hamilton continued to hang on.

Fortunately for the Tigers, they broke the game open late, kicking the final few to run away with the contest.

Hamilton coach Hamish Waldron said the match was "one of those ones that got away".

"We started really well then had a bit of a lapse in the second and they sort of got control of the game," he said. "We finally did catch up at the start of the third quarter, and we used just a few too many petrol tickets getting there I thought."

Following a pre-match Anzac Day tribute, which included the Last Post, Hamilton went to work early, nabbing the first two goals of the game. Portland responded, though a Ben Sharkie goal put the home side ahead by nine at the first break.

The second term opened with both team's going goal-for-goal before the Tigers broke free with the next three. The Kangaroos took the lead back early in the third, with Nathan Fall kicking a brilliant goal from the boundary line though Portland found its way back in front after a Toby Jennings' speccy and subsequent goal.

Portland captain Daniel Jackson was named the best on ground in the clash. Addressing the crowd, he said Hamilton was always an arm wrestle of a game and credited his team for grinding it out. On the injury front, Hamilton's Noah Uebergang came off midway through the final term due to a knee.

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