Port Adelaide   2.2   8.4    10.5 12.7 (79)                  
Hawthorn   6.0   10.4   16.6   19.10   (124)          

Goals:
Port Adelaide: Monfries, Neade 2, Butcher, Schulz, Gray, Thomas, Ebert, Wingard, Boak, Cornes
Hawthorn: Gunston, Roughead 5, Savage, Smith 3, Lewis, Rioli, Hodge

Best: 
Port Adelaide: Boak, Gray, Ebert, Wingard, Thomas,
Hawthorn: Roughead, Hodge, Smith, Gunston, Mitchell, Savage

Hawthorn bounced back after its first loss in 12 matches against Port Adelaide on Saturday in a gutsy win at AAMI Stadium.

The Hawks battled a number of injury concerns throughout the game, but managed to overcome hardship to record its 13^th win of the season and retain top spot on the AFL ladder.

Buddy-less Hawks win again

Hawthorn star Lance Franklin has been an incredibly durable player over his 175 game career, but when he does miss through injury or suspension, the Hawks manage very well.

On the past 12 occasions Franklin has missed a game through injury or suspension, the Hawks have won 11 of those matches – the only loss came against Geelong.

Interestingly, in those 12 matches, the Hawks have kicked 110 points or more each time.

Franklin missed Saturday’s match with knee soreness, but that didn’t seem to worry the Hawks or his forward-line teammates Jarryd Roughead and Jack Gunston.

The pair booted five goals each and were two of Hawthorn’s best in the 45-point victory and seemed to perhaps the relish the opportunity to show their talent without the superstar forward.

The midfield weren’t without a plethora of options inside its forward 50 and showed that in particular in the opening term when it kicked six goals straight from 13 inside 50s.

Midfielders Shane Savage and Isaac Smith also chipped in with three goals each, while Luke Breust and Cyril Rioli enjoyed more time in the midfield.

Hawthorn’s biggest strength

Coach Alastair Clarkson has praised his side a number of times this season for its ability to not rely on one player to kick goals.

It is a credit to the recruiting and development staff in bringing dangerous forwards to the Club and developing them into consistent performers.

It’s all well and good though, to preach that you have a number of options and don’t rely on one player, like Lance Franklin to kick the goals when each of your forwards are playing, but when  one is missing, that’s the true acid test and the Hawks passed it with flying colours.

Clarkson was asked in his post-match press conference about the performance of Roughead and Gunston and the two focal points up forward.

He was proud of the forward-line mix and performance of his two talls in the absence of Franklin.

"We've worked on that a fair bit and feel like we've got good potency that can be spread across a number of players that can go in that part of the ground," Clarkson said in his post-match press conference.

Pressure Hawks

Port Adelaide has built its success this season on the back of its willingness to apply manic pressure on its opposition, but on Saturday, it was Hawthorn who excelled.

From the outset, the Hawks were intent on laying as many tackles and making their presence felt on the young Power players, laying 20 tackles in the first quarter and 60 up until three-quarter time.

The Hawks finished with 77 tackles for the game to Port Adelaide’s 59 – a credit to the intensity and commitment of the Hawthorn players when they didn’t have possession of the ball.

The Power actually had more possessions than Hawthorn (360-363), but overused the footy by hand.

The Power had 50 more handballs than Hawthorn and Hawthorn had 47 more kicks. In fact, Port Adelaide kicked the ball only 169 times, well down on its season average of 203 kicks per game.

Their 169 kicks was even down on the league’s lowest average.

Hawthorn’s pressure forced the Power to use the ball by hand and continue to put teammates under pressure because of Hawthorn’s ability to close down options up field.

The result – a number of turnovers and poor kicking inside forward 50.

Power Coach Ken Hinkley even went so far as to say Hawthorn’s ability to beat his team in its willingness to pressure its opposition was crucial in the Hawks securing victory.

"We were put under pressure by a very good side which forced turnovers and they're the hardest to defend when you turn the ball over," Hinkley said.

"Clearly everyone that watched the game would say we over-used the ball – that's the pressure that Hawthorn bring.”

Challenge responded

Port Adelaide youngster Chad Wingard changed the complexion of the game in the second quarter. He was the only Port Adelaide player all game that could generate any run and find space.

His ability to release and find teammates led the Power comeback in the second term as did their ability to better handle the Hawthorn pressure.

Port Adelaide upped their disposals efficiency from 66.2 per cent to 70.6 and kicking efficiency 63.6 per cent to 67.4.

They were able to move the ball much quicker and turn defence into attack to catch the settled Hawthorn defence off guard.

The Power kicked six goals to four for the quarter as Angus Monfires, Jay Schulz and Robbie Gray provided the spark up forward.

But Hawthorn responded in the midst of a number of injury concerns, booting the last goal of the second half on the siren for a 12-point lead and the opening goal of the third quarter within the first minute to lead by three goals.

From there, the Hawks never let the Power within reach, with their ruthless forward attack and undeniable talent inside 50.

Wounded Hawks

Hawthorn lost star forward Lance Franklin before the match with knee soreness but also suffered a number of injury concerns throughout the match that threatened to derail its hopes of securing victory on the road.

Cyril Rioli rolled his ankle in the second term only minutes after Kyle Cheney copped a heavy knock. Cheney was tested for concussion and sat out 20 minutes of the game while the Hawthorn medical staff assessed whether or not he was right to return.

Only minutes after Cheney returned to the field and Jonathan Simpkin put the green vest back on as the substitute, Ben Stratton also copped a heavy hit to the head that saw him helped from the field by trainers.

He was subsequently subbed out of the game early in the third quarter.

What the coaches said

Hawthorn’s Alastair Clarkson: "We've worked on that a fair bit and feel like we've got good potency that can be spread across a number of players that can go in that part of the ground.

"Savage stepped up and kicked three and I think Smith kicked three so that's really pleasing…it's really important to have that spread and not rely on just one or two players.

"I think we only got a couple of goals out of (Paul) Puopolo, (Cyril) Rioli and Breust, but other guys stepped up."

Port Adelaide’s Ken Hinkley: “Clearly everyone that watched the game would say we over-used the ball – that's the pressure that Hawthorn bring.

"The two sides that I think have put us under that much pressure are Hawthorn and Geelong and they sit one, two on the ladder.

"We know we've got lots of work to do to handle the pressure that those top sides can put on you."