Australian Football

Match Report

Hawthorn shook off a gallant Port Adelaide with a stunning 11-goal last quarter blitz at the Hawks' second home, Aurora Stadium, in Launceston on Sunday. With caretaker coach Garry Hocking at the helm for the first time after the axing of Matthew Primus, the Power made a bright start and took a 13-point lead into the first break. Hawthorn clicked into gear in the second term, with Ellis and Smith scoring two goals each as the Hawks racked up eight goals to Port's two. At half-time, Hawthorn led by 26 points and looked to be heading towards a massive win. But a goal to Jay Schulz early in the third term signalled that the Power were not done with yet. Hocking's men displayed a vigour not seen in recent weeks and outscored the Hawks for the quarter. And when Paul Stewart goaled at the three-minute of the last quarter, the margin was just 17 points, and it appeared that Hawthorn would be pushed until the final siren.

In reality though, Stewart's goal was a the catalyst for the unleashing of a withering burst which saw Hawthorn kick an amazing 11.1, to Port's two goals, over the next 28 minutes. Paul Puopolo and David Hale shared five of those goals, to finish with five and four goals each, respectively. The final margin of 72 points was perhaps a little unfair to Port but indicated that the Hawks' last gasp loss to Geelong the previous week was little more than a hiccup. The win came at a cost for Hawthorn, with Cyril Rioli suffering a shoulder injury that was expected to keep him out until at least the final home-and-away round.

Birchall and Mitchell set up the Hawthorn forwards, while Travis Boak put aside speculation about his future to be one of Port's best players. Four goals to Jay Schulz served to remind how much the Power had missed the key forward during his seven-week layoff due to injury. The win left Hawthorn in fourth place on the ladder, a game and percentage clear of fifth-placed West Coast.

GOALS
Hawthorn: Puopolo 5; Hale 4; Breust 3; Ellis, Smith 2; Guerra, Lewis, Hodge, Suckling, Gilham, Young, Rioli, Gunston
Port Adelaide: Schulz 4; Brett Ebert, Broadbent 2; Lobbe, Stewart, Brad Ebert, Boak, Westhoff

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Hawthorn: Mitchell, Puopolo, Lewis, Sewell, Hale
Port Adelaide: Pearce, Boak, Ebert, Schulz, Cornes

BEST - THE AGE
Hawthorn: Burchall, Mitchell, Hale, Puopolo, Schoenmakers
Port Adelaide: Pearce, Boak, Schulz

COACHES' COMMENTS
Alastair Clarkson (Haw): We knew Port were going to come out pretty fired up. For them to kick 13 goals was a bit disappointing but we still kicked 24 goals without Franklin and Roughead, so I'd say that's a really good sign for us.

Garry Hocking (Port): There are things we need to work on both collectively and individually. I thought we held our own there at times.

Umpires: Armstrong, Mitchell, Bannister