Hinkley’s Last Laugh in Gather Round’s Grudge Match

Hawthorn suffered it’s first loss at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday Night. Bitter rivals, Port Adelaide, were not very welcoming to the visitors as they returning to their brutal best against the hapless Hawks at the Adelaide Oval, winning by 30 points.

In a first half where Port piled 12 goals to Hawthorn’s three, it was a stark reminder of what Port can do when they fire, as the Power quickly turned hok-ball to horror-ball.

The first three goals of the game came inside the first seven minutes for Port Adelaide as the Alberton crowd began to sing in Adelaide.

Jack Gunston found momentary relief for the Hawks, but then Port went to work.

They kicked nine goals unanswered across rest of the first and the second quarter of the contest.

With a score line like this, Port Adelaide spent the entire first half doing as they pleased.

Hawthorn was struggling in the times that had possession, Port Adelaide’s pressure was elite and it often forced turnovers.  At the stoppage, Port were able to get scoring opportunity after scoring opportunity.  

Hawthorn reverted into a shell of themselves, they looked like the team we’d come to expect in the first half of last season. 

Meanwhile, Port reminded everyone why it had achieved a top two finish last season, it was the same hunger and determination that had the Power in the 2024 premiership conversation.

Connor Rozee, (28 disposals and two goals) was rolled out across half-back and that worked to perfection tonight. Meanwhile, Zak Butters, (33 disposals and eight clearances) Ollie Wines, (26 disposals and six clearances), Willem Drew, (26 disposals) and Jason Horne-Francis, (26 disposals) combined to damage the Hawks at stoppage. The Hawthorn engine room ran out of steam, and the Power capitalised.

For the Hawks, Jack Gunston, (six goals) finished the game with six majors, while Jai Newcombe, (29 disposals and eight clearances) can hold his head up high.

On the injury front, Miles Bergman had a complaint that saw him withdrawn from the game as half time drew nearer. 

Hawthorn hadn’t given any effort to half time, and an angry Sam Mitchell needed a response. He got one in the third. Hawthorn did kick the final two goals of the first half, and this seemed to spur the Hawks on.

Hawthorn threw a challenge to Port in the second half.  The Hawks had kicked four goals to two for the quarter, as a 59 point margin became 47.

Hawthorn were much better in the second half. They were able to gain a foothold back at stoppage as they got the basic fundamentals right they lacked in the first.

Port unhappy, and the Hawks feeling much the same, aggression started to bubble to the surface.   Melees erupted all over the ground in the third stanza, however the only effect that had on the contest was the players opening up the cheque book come Monday.   

Port’s injury list continued to grow as Mitch Georgiades went off for some treatment as the third quarter drew to a finish.   However, Georgiades did return in the last quarter.

Just as Hawks fans were beginning to think about heading back to the hotel rooms in preparation for their flight home, the brown and gold hit back hard.

The 47 point three quarter time lead was quickly disappearing as Hawthorn kicked five goals to one for the quarter. Gunston kicked two of these five, the last coming from Port Adelaide breaking down defensively as the margin cut to 22 points with time left.

Just as the nerves began to be felt around the Adelaide Oval, Sam Powell-Pepper sealed the game with a stunning goal, and Willie Rioli finished moments later to make sure of it.

Changkouth Jiath was told all about it from Willie Rioli, and the umpire paid a free kick as Jiath lost his cool. The double goal saw Port kick three in a row as the feeling between the teams continued despite the contest now dead and buried.

In a feel good story, Tom Cochrane kicked his first goal in AFL footy as the early for Port in the last. The Power now back on in 2025, Hawthorn’s perfect run eventually stopped.

Power: 6.3 12.7 14.10 18.13.121

Hawks: 1.2 3.2 7.5 14.7.91

Goalkickers:

Power:

Georgiades, (3), Rioli, (3), Mead, (2), Powell-Pepper, (2), Richards, (2), Rozee, (2), Bergman, Cochrane, Drew, Lord

Hawks:

Gunston, (6), Meek, (2), Sicily, (2), Bruest, Chol, Newcombe, Worpel

Best:

Power:

Z. Butters, S. Powell-Pepper, C. Rozee

Hawks:

J. Gunston, J. Newcombe, J. Worpel