Port Adelaide has survived a late Hawthorn charge to book a preliminary final against Sydney at the SCG after winning a classic semi-final.
The Power stared down their critics after an 84-point beating a week earlier and lifted themselves off the canvas, winning 11.9 (75) to 11.6 (72).
They held firm in some desperate final moments after Hawthorn skipper James Sicily hit the post with a long-range set shot that would have given his team a two-point lead, with Esava Ratugolea intercepting a final flurry forward from the Hawks.
Port's win was built on pressure and a relentless commitment to the contest with effort after effort as their midfield stars stood up along young guns that announced themselves in a do-or-die final.
Port dominated the early stoppages and laid a flurry of crunching tackles, with captain Connor Rozee setting an early benchmark when he combined with Willie Rioli to win a holding the ball free kick and kick the opening goal.
The Power tall forwards also looked threatening after a poor recent patch, and Rioli was involved again to set up Todd Marshall for the team's second goal as Port went to the first break with a 13-point lead after holding Hawthorn to its lowest first quarter score since round two.
Mitch Georgiades made that 19 points when Jason Horne-Francis found him on the lead, with the Power starting to capitalise on their territory dominance after some missed opportunities.
It was only a matter of time until Hawthorn had its turn with the momentum, however, and a pair of dubious dangerous tackle decisions gave them the chance to strike.
Mabior Chol and Dylan Moore were the players who benefited from the calls against Lachie Jones and Jase Burgoyne respectively, with a 50m penalty for dissent also taking Moore to the goal line to make certain of his opportunity and cutting the margin to four points.
The Power steadied to see out an exhilarating half with a nine-point buffer after Rioli kicked a goal out of mid-air with one second on the clock.
The third quarter belonged to the Hawks as they got their first lead for the game following back-to-back goals from young sensation Nick Watson, who finished with a team-high three majors.
Breust enjoyed his moment late in the quarter when he converted a set shot in his milestone game, cutting the margin to five points and setting up the thrilling final term.
Burgoyne and Horne-Francis both kicked crucial goals in the last quarter to hold off the Hawks' momentum, while Georgiades kicked a clutch set shot.
The Hawks will rue late misses when they were charging, but the Power's pressure late was as ferocious as it was early to make sure they secured a magnificent win.
PORT ADELAIDE 2.3 5.6 7.8 11.9 (75)
HAWTHORN 0.2 4.3 7.3 11.6 (72)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Georgiades 3, Byrne-Jones 2, Rioli 2, Burgoyne, Horne-Francis, Marshall, Rozee
Hawthorn: Watson 3, Ginnivan 2, Breust, Chol, Dear, Maginness, Moore, Sicily
BEST
Port Adelaide: Burgoyne, Rioli, Horne-Francis, Georgiades, Jones, Evans, Zerk-Thatcher, Sweet
Hawthorn: Scrimshaw, Newcombe, Watson, Worpel, Sicily, Morrison
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Nil
Hawthorn: Nil
LATE CHANGES
Port Adelaide: Charlie Dixon (illness) replaced in the selected side by Will Lorenz
Hawthorn: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Port Adelaide: Will Lorenz (replaced Todd Marshall in the fourth quarter)
Hawthorn: Luke Breust (replaced Jack Gunston in the third quarter)
Crowd: 52,012 at Adelaide Oval
