AFTER conceding a 32-point lead after the first quarter, Hawthorn has fought back to beat a valiant Port Adelaide 17.15 (117) to 15.12 (102).
That result looked highly unlikely for much of the first half as Port Adelaide played with the kind of determination and discipline usually associated with the unbeaten Hawks.
With their midfielders getting their hands on the ball early and often to send the ball long and deep into attack, the Power played some irresistible football.
Shaun Burgoyne was brilliant for Port with 31 touches and eight tackles while Warren Tredrea was good early with four first-half goals.
Hawthorn was in disarray in the first term as the switched-on Power set up a commanding early lead.
Port’s forwards were beating Hawthorn’s zone with apparent ease with skipper Tredrea leading from the front with three goals. The confusion spread further up the ground for the Hawks, however, with the Power’s superior pressure forcing uncharacteristic turnovers through the middle.
Franklin was one of his side’s few winners in a quarter where Port had 112 possessions to Hawthorn’s 74. ‘Buddy’, matched up against Toby Thurstans, only managed two kicks, but they were both goals; Hawthorn’s only majors for the term.
When Daniel Motlop kicked the first goal of the second term, capping a passage of play set up by Peter Burgoyne in defence, the Power was 38 points in front.
Tough midfielder Brad Sewell, who was soundly beaten by Shaun Burgoyne early, lifted his game enormously, driving his side in the packs as well as kicking two goals for the second quarter.
The Hawks were within 17 points at the long break and quickly cut it to 11 with a major to Jarryd Roughead early in the third term.
The Power gained some breathing space with goals to Motlop and Justin Westhoff, both resulting from poor kicks from Hawthorn defender Clinton Young, who had a terrible day and was benched soon after.
Motlop's goal was a gem, outmarking Campbell Brown from Young's kickout, then weaving around Brown on the mark and slotting truly from just inside 50m on the boundary line.
But it did not stop the Hawks' momentum for long, as they added six of the last seven goals to end the quarter, a fine Franklin snap putting them in front before Roughead marked in the goalsquare to send them to the last change with a seven-point lead.
Hawthorn wasted the chance to seal the game early in the last term, kicking 1.5 in the first 14 minutes despite dominating play, but were never really threatened.
Hawthorn 2.2 8.7 15.9 17.15 (117)
Port
GOALS
Hawthorn: Franklin 6, Roughead 3, Osborne 2, Sewell 2, Williams, Young, McGlynn, Rioli
Port
BEST
Hawthorn: Sewell, Mitchell, Franklin, Lewis, Bateman, Brown
Port
INJURIES
Hawthorn: B Guerra (hamstring)
Port Adelaide: None
Reports: B McGlynn (Hawthorn) reported by field umpire M Nicholls for making front-on contact to K Cornes (Port Adelaide) in the second quarter.
Umpires: Kennedy, Nicholls, Wenn
Official crowd: 15,682 at Aurora Stadium
