THE POWER flies to Etihad Stadium needing its playing group to step up against flag fancies Hawthorn, and without two key backs, its playing group will need to be at its best.
OPPOSING FORCES
PORT ADELAIDE
LAST MATCH: Round 20: Port Adelaide 16.15 (111) def Greater Western Sydney 13.12 (90)
HAWTHORN
LAST MATCH: Round 20: Hawthorn 19.7 (121) def Geelong 12.13 (85)
HEAD TO HEAD
Port Adelaide 17 v 13 Hawthorn
LAST FIVE
Port Adelaide 2 v 3 Hawthorn
THIS YEAR
Port Adelaide: LLWWWLLLWWLLLWLWWLW v WLWLWLWLWWWWWWWWLWW Hawthorn
PLAYBILL
Round 21
Port Adelaide v Hawthorn
Etihad Stadium
Friday 21 August
First Bounce: 7:20pm (SA time) / 7:50pm (EST) / 5:50pm (AWST)
Hashtags: #AFLHawksPower
Broadcast: Channel 7 (national), Fox Footy (national), FIVEaa (SA)
YOU’RE INVITED
Pre-Game Events
March to Etihad
No pre-game events.
Post-Game Events
Victory Room, Level 1, Aisle 12, Etihad Stadium
Commencing at completion of the game.
Selected players and officials in attendance.
All members and supporters welcome.
Supporter group raffle – prizes including footy signed by 2015 squad.
TIME MACHINE
Round 4, 2015: Power blasted away to a seven-goal leading in the first term but was forced to cling to its advantage as the Hawks reeled the deficit in after half-time. The Power eventually won by eight points, with Jay Schulz bagging five goals.
PORT ADELAIDE 8.2 12.4 15.8 15.9 (99)
HAWTHORN 1.2 3.7 8.9 13.13 (91)
PORTADELAIDEFC.COM.AU'S Best: Boak, Hartlett, Schulz, Carlile, Ebert, Ryder
Goals: Schulz 5, Ryder, Polec, Westhoff 2, Wingard, Hartlett, Young, Mitchell
At Adelaide Oval
FOUR QUARTERS
THE STAKES
Hawthorn is playing for a home final over the next three games, while Port Adelaide has committed to fighting all the way to the end of the season, now that it is a mathematical improbability for finals.
THE STOCKS
Jay Schulz was a late withdrawal from the win over GWS, and will be pushing for a return if he overcomes his back complaint. At the other end of the ground both Alipate Carlile and Jackson Trengove have been ruled out of the season with respective hip and shoulder injuries. After collecting 64 hit-outs in the Magpies' win on the weekend, ruckman Matthew Lobbe has put his hand up for a return to the AFL side.
THE HISTORY
Port Adelaide holds a 17-13 lead in the head-to-head battle between these clubs, the longest winning streak being seven games between 2002-2006. The most recent game played was in Round 4 of this year, where Port Adelaide led by 51 points at half time before surviving a Hawks comeback to hold on for an eight-point win.
THE VIBE
With big games remaining against Hawthorn this week and Fremantle in Round 23, Port Adelaide are eager to perform well and prove they can finish 2015 on a high note.
