The Hawthorn Hawks have held off a valiant Port Adelaide Power 15.7.97 – 13.16.94, in the 2nd AFL Semi-Final at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.
In a classic finals match, the Port Adelaide Power rocked the MCG, dismissing their pre-match ‘underdog’ status, displaying some tough, hard footy. The Power fought back constantly to stay in touch with the Hawks and finished strongly, but were outclassed in the third quarter.
Jarryd Roughead was the star player of the match, kicking 6 goals and making his physical presence felt up front.
The first quarter was a tough tussle. Port kicked the first 9 points, missing a couple of clutch opportunities to push out to a bigger lead.
The Hawks kicked two in a row to settle the Port Adelaide momentum, but were unable to contain Robbie Gray who goaled before the end of the first. The Power shocking everyone with an 11-point 1st quarter lead.
The lead changed 3 times in the second quarter. Hawthorn kicked the first three (Gunston, Dureya, Suckling) to steal the lead. The Power were not phased, kicking two of their own (Schulz, Neade) to reclaim it again by 7 points.
Both teams were looking strong on the ball and after Jarryd Roughead kicked his third, the Hawthorn Hawks secured an 11-point halftime lead.
Hamish Hartlett reflected on some missed opportunities for the Power in the second quarter:
“It is important to make sure that you are finishing off your work, so [we have] been disappointing there.”
Hawthorn charged into the third quarter kicking 3 goals in a row, Roughead nabbing his fifth. Justin Westhoff was ever-present in the forward 50 for Port Adelaide and showed his class, marking strongly and kicking an important goal that kept Port Adelaide in touch within 10 points.
But again it was Roughead who kicked Hawthorn to a commanding lead at the close of the quarter. His goal establishing a 23-point lead in an impressive 5.2 quarter for the champions.
In what would have been one of the greatest comebacks of all time, Port Adelaide kicked four goals in 10 minutes to finish within three points of the Hawks. Captain Luke Hodge smothered a kick that was heading inside the Port Adelaide forward 50 and made a clutch tackle to win his side the ball in the final minute.
“We knew they were going to come back… we saw what they did to Fremantle… we knew we had to be ready,” commented the courageous captain after the match.
“We found out a couple of years ago that the job is not done yet,” Hodge reflected on next weeks grand final rematch against the Sydney Swans.
The Hawks went down to the Swans in the 2012 decider in what was a tight match. Memories of this match will no doubt be going through the minds of players next Saturday at the MCG.
