Despite being knocked out earlier in the game, Salopekmade a desperate bid to inspire his team with a miraculous and influentialreturn to the field in the last term.
But Salopek and coach Mark Williams were forced to watchon helplessly as their team kicked themselves out of the game with nine secondhalf behinds.
Salopek typified Port Adelaide's ferocious attack on theball in the first quarter.
With little concern for his own safety, the midfielderran forward with the flight of the ball, bracing himself for the inevitable collisionwith Hawk Joel Smith.
While Salopek lay motionless on the ground, ShaunBurgoyne swooped to kick Port Adelaide's fifth goal for the quarter.
Justin Westhoff got his AFL career and Port Adelaide offto a dream start, marking strongly inside 50m and slotting a goal with hisfirst kick in the opening minutes.
Both teams were determined to exert a physical presenceon the game, but it was the Hawks who were overly aggressive, conceding ninefirst-quarter free kicks.
Undisciplined play from Hawthorn set up goals to BrendonLade, Steve Salopek and Damon White.
Tim Boyle (five goals) kept the Hawks in the game,kicking their entire first quarter score of 2.2.
Some magic from first-gamer Robbie Gray gave the Power aperfect start to the second quarter.
The 19-year-old spun out of trouble across half-forward,demonstrating his exciting potential, before finding Damon White with a pin-point pass.
White spotted Westhoff and suddenly the string-beanforward had two goals with his first two kicks in AFL footy.
But the dream start ended there, with Hawthorn slammingon four goals without reply.
The Hawks flooded back into the Power forward line andmade the most of their rebound from defence, staging a 37-point turnaround.
Dominating the inside-50ms 15 to eight for the quarter,the Hawthorn forwards began to have an impact.
Lance 'Buddy' Franklin was at his elusive best, slottingthrough two of his four goals in the second term.
Goals to Ben McGlynn, Luke Hodge and Brent Guerra had theHawks within three points and when Guerra nailed a shot from 50m out, Hawthornhad the lead.
Some acrobatics from David Rodan steadied the PortAdelaide ship.
The speedy Fijian ducked and weaved before slipping apass to Brett Ebert who marked strongly and kicked his first of the game.
But Port Adelaide was punished for some costly turnoverswith Jarryd Roughead chasing down Shaun Burgoyne to give Brad Sewell an easyshot on goal.
Young Hawk McGlynn got on the end of a passfrom Shane Crawford and the Power found themselves nine-pointsbehind at half-time.
Crawford along with Sam Mitchell (35 touches for the game) and McGlynn burned Port Adelaide at the clearances and the Power defendersstruggled to cope with the Hawthorn onslaught.
A turnover in the Port Adelaide defensive 50m gave TimBoyle his third goal and when Sam Mitchell chipped a pass to McGlynn, theyoungster also had his third.
Chad Cornes (28 possessions) tried desperately to pump uphis team, roving a ball to dribble home Port Adelaide's first of the term.
But Cornes' goal was the Power's solitary major for thethird quarter, with the team squandering another six shots on goal.
Danyle Pearce, Greg Bentley, White and Gray all missedopportunities, allowing the Hawks to take a 17-pointlead into the final term.
Captain Warren Tredrea and Rodan wasted two more shots on goal early in the final quarter.
The Hawks had no such trouble with Franklin bending backa beautiful goal from 50m. When the ball fell into Luke Hodge's lap in the goal square,the game was all but over.
HAWTHORN 2.2 10.3 13.5 17.7 (109)
PORTADELAIDE 5.5 8.6 9.12 10.15 (75)
Goals
Hawthorn: T Boyle 5, L Franklin 3, B McGlynn 3, L Hodge 2, J Lewis, M Osborne, BSewell, B Guerra. Port Adelaide: J Westhoff 3, D White 2, S Salopek, B Lade, SBurgoyne, B Ebert, C Cornes.
Best
Hawthorn: S Mitchell, S Crawford, T Boyle, B McGlynn, L Hodge, B Guerra, J Lewis.Port Adelaide: C Cornes, S Burgoyne, J Surjan, K Cornes, S Salopek.
Injuries
Hawthorn: T Croad (foot)replaced in selected side by X Ellis, R Ladson (back) replaced in selected sideby J Roughead, B Dixon (hamstring). Port Adelaide: S Salopek (broken nose,blurred vision).
Reports: J Westhoff (Port Adelaide) reported byfield umpire K Nicholls for charging C Young (Hawthorn) in the fourthquarter.
Umpires:M Vozzo S Wenn K Nicholls
Officialcrowd: 23,945 at AAMI Stadium.
