Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley paid tribute to Angus Monfries for his special performance after the small forward booted a career-high seven goals in a losing side against Geelong.
Hinkley’s side remain in the AFL top eight despite their 20.9 (129) to 16.8 (104) loss in Saturday’s round-20 clash at Simonds Stadium.
Port trailed by 63 points early in the final term but scored the last six goals of the match to cut the margin to a more respectable figure as ex-Bomber Monfries ran riot with a six-goal second half.
“We know how hard they are to play on so it was a really good performance by him,” Hinkley said.
“It’s a pretty special effort to get seven.
“Gus has been fantastic for us all year and he got some reward today.”
Monfries, who could face a possible ban along with his former Essendon teammates if the Bombers are found to have breached the league’s anti-doping code, said he was putting the issue to one side.
“I’m just here to talk about today. I’m not worrying about that sort of stuff,” Monfries said.
Ruckman Matthew Lobbe was another huge contributor for the losing side with 59 hitouts.
Hinkley said it was a sensational effort.
“He was pretty close to best on ground I would have thought, in a game where we got beaten pretty easily,” Hinkley said.
“They’ve a very very good side. They’re possibly going to finish on top of the ladder.”
Hinkley said Port, who are clinging to a top-eight spot, could do nothing more than focus on next Saturday’s round-21 clash with Gold Coast at AAMI Stadium.