It didn't come with ease, nor cleanliness, but the Power was able to hold off the desperate and at times destructive Hawks to retain top spot.
144 years to the day after the club's first ever game was played just kilometres away in front of a spattering of locals, a gargantuan attendance of 52,233 spectators turned out at Port Adelaide's new city home - eclipsing the previous South Australian AFL high of 51,140 notched in a 2003 Showdown against the Crows.
And the local crowd was treated to one of the best games the state had seen between Australia's top two clubs heading into the round.
The finals-like intensity was incredible and while the Power led from start to finish, the Power never had it easy, with the Hawks blowing the game apart in the third quarter to close a 30-point deficit to just 7-points in time-on.
The Hawks held pace right through the fourth quarter, but the home side was able to hold on and chalk up its eighth win for the season.
The foundations were set early, with Chad Wingard kicking two goals in the opening quarter and one in the second to headline the scoresheets at half time, ably supported by livewires Angus Monfries and Robbie Gray who kicked two apiece by the long break.
But it was the midfield that stood tall for the Power in providing ample supply out of the middle.
They dominated proceedings early to lead the clearances by 10 and drive a 23-point lead through their forwards at half time.
Brad Ebert and Kane Cornes were emphatic around the ground in the first half with 15 and 14 touches with Ebert at over 85% effectiveness, while Travis Boak exploded at the stoppages with six clearances to the half.
The skipper would be voted best on ground by the end of the night.
Combined with the irresistible run of Jared Polec and Matt White and the grunt work of its backmen, Port was able to withstand the relentless Hawthorn press.
In a match full of tackle pressure and consistently intense passages of play, it was the Power’s ability to absorb the Hawks’ pressure and rally its own attacks that saw it retain a 23-point buffer at half time.
But it wasn't a comfortable lead and the Power felt the full force of the reigning premiers in the third time.
If the Power’s disposal efficiency had been the mark of its first half, its contrast in its marking ability was the story early in the third.
Port couldn’t buy a mark at key inside 50s and pivotal moments in defence, forcing it to bring out the mops and clean the ball up at ground level.
It found favour with the football gods when Angus Monfries crumbed a ball in front of goals to snap his third and reopen a four-goal advantage.
And while the Hawks reponded with Jack Gunston’s third goal, the Power volleyed right back with two goals in 61 seconds to Monfries and Polec.
That eked the margin out to 30 at a crucial juncture midway through the quarter but, true to form, the Hawks rallied again late with a supreme time-on performance.
The four-goal, seven-minute rampage featured a double from Jordan Lewis followed by singles to Billy Hartung and Jack Gunston.
It left the bumper Adelaide Oval crowd stunned by the sudden seven-point lead and in dire need of a fourth-quarter rally.
And after a restrained night it was Hamish Hartlett who was suddenly let off the leash with two goals to stem the tide against his team early in the final term.
Suddenly, the margin was back to 20 points and the Power was holding its own against the brown and gold tide.
If the Power’s disposal efficiency had been the mark of its first half, its contrast in its marking ability was the story early in the third.
Port couldn’t buy a mark at key inside 50s and pivotal moments in defence, forcing it to bring out the mops and clean the ball up at ground level.
It found favour with the football gods when Angus Monfries crumbed a ball in front of goals to snap his third and reopen a four-goal advantage.
And while the Hawks reponded with Jack Gunston’s third goal, the Power volleyed right back with two goals in 61 seconds to Monfries and Polec.
That eked the margin out to 30 at a crucial juncture midway through the quarter but, true to form, the Hawks rallied again late with a supreme time-on performance.
The four-goal, seven-minute rampage featured a double from Jordan Lewis followed by singles to Billy Hartung and Jack Gunston.
It left the bumper Adelaide Oval crowd stunned by the sudden seven-point lead and in dire need of a fourth-quarter rally.
And after a restrained night it was Hamish Hartlett who was suddenly let off the leash with two goals to stem the tide against his team early in the final term.
Suddenly, the margin was back to 20 points and the Power was holding its own against the brown and gold tide.
A desperate snap from Kane Mitchell and a clincher to leading goalkicker Jay Schulz secured the result late, ensuring the Power remained top of the table after a massive month against the form sides of the last five years.
Port Adelaide plays Melbourne at TIO Traeger Park in Alice Springs on Saturday 31 May.
SCOREBOARD
PORT ADELAIDE 4.2 8.3 11.7 15.10 (100)
HAWTHORN 2.3 4.4 10.6 13.8 (86)
Goals
Monfries 4, Wingard 3, R. Gray, Hartlett 2, Boak, Polec, Mitchell, Schulz
portadelaidefc.com.au’s best
Polec, Boak, Ebert, Cornes, Wingard, Wines
Zaidee's Rainbow Foundation Medal
Travis Boak
Substitution
Aaron Young replaced Angus Monfries at three-quarter time
Crowd
52,233 at the Adelaide Oval.
SCOREBOARD
PORT ADELAIDE 4.2 8.3 11.7 15.10 (100)
HAWTHORN 2.3 4.4 10.6 13.8 (86)
Goals
Monfries 4, Wingard 3, R. Gray, Hartlett 2, Boak, Polec, Mitchell, Schulz
portadelaidefc.com.au’s best
Polec, Boak, Ebert, Cornes, Wingard, Wines
Zaidee's Rainbow Foundation Medal
Travis Boak
Substitution
Aaron Young replaced Angus Monfries at three-quarter time
Crowd
52,233 at the Adelaide Oval.
