Up against the Power in an even contest this weekend, there is no better time to look at one of the tightest finishes between the two clubs – the 2014 Preliminary Final.
Hawthorn’s nail-biting three-point victory in this clash booked them a Grand Final spot against the Swans, where they continued one of the greatest dynasties in football history.
Tale of the tape
The Hawks started poorly but inaccurate kicking from the Power kept them in the contest, trailing by 12 points at the first change.
The two sides were neck and neck in the second until the latter stages. The Hawks flipped the result, piling on the last three majors of the quarter – two of those from Roughead - to give them a two-goal lead at the long break.
Veteran Jordan Lewis limped off the ground with a corked thigh at the beginning of the third, but this only spurred the Hawks on, as a rampaging Roughead continued to fire.
The Hawks booted two goals in quick succession with Roughead’s long launch from inside the centre square giving him his fourth. The spearhead soon had five on the back of a crafty pass from an injury affected Lewis, pushing the Hawks’ lead to 22-points
A courageous mark from Angus Monfries back with the flight swung the momentum the Power’s way halfway through the third, guiding his set shot home and passing off another.
But the Hawks were equal to the challenge, responding with back-to-back goals of their own. Roughead added his sixth off the deck in the final minute, giving the Hawks a comfortable four goal lead at the final change.
Even with Lewis subbed out of the game at three quarter time, it was going to take something special for the Power to come back.
The result looked beyond doubt when a Jack Gunston goal put the Hawks 28 points up midway through the last. But Port Adelaide weren’t giving up without a fight.
Goals to Monfries and Chad Wingard kept the Power in the hunt, Wingard’s mark and miraculous checkside from the boundary putting them within three goals.
Port Adelaide continued to charge, a thumping long bomb from Jared Polec from outside 50 narrowly making it over the goal line.
Then a long blast inside 50 from the classy left foot of Wingard found the outstretched hands of Monfries. He kicked truly, setting up an enthralling last two-and-a-half minutes with just four points separating the two teams.
Hawthorn fans had their hearts in their mouth as a clever pass over the top was marked by current Box Hill Hawks skipper Andrew Moore in the pocket. A sigh of relief followed from the Hawthorn faithful as his set shot went wide.
The Hawks weren’t out of jail yet, as the subsequent kick-in landed in the hands of Brad Ebert. It might have been a match-winning play if Luke Hodge wasn’t on the scene.
As Ebert played on to bomb the ball long into the Power’s forward line, Hodge came from nowhere to perform a brilliant smother and followed up with a tackle, winning a free kick for holding the ball.
It was a play that typified Hodge on the football field and was arguably the most important moment of the match.
The Hawks managed to hold on for the remaining 50 seconds, clinching victory by three points.
The Power were left to rue wayward kicking in front of goal, losing 15.7.(97) to 13.16.(94).
The Stars
Jarryd Roughead’s six goals in the first three quarters set up the win for the Hawks, while experienced campaigners Luke Hodge and Sam Mitchell were hefty contributors on the day.
For the Power, skipper Travis Boak led the stats sheet while Robbie Gray and Angus Monfries were crucial up forward, booting seven goals between them.
