Watch highlights from the big win.

Hawthorn 1.3 9.9 13.12 24.15 (159)
Port Adelaide 3.4 5.7 10.9 13.9 (87)

Goals: Hawthorn - Puopolo 5, Hale 4, Breust 3, Ellis 2, Smith 2, Guerra, Lewis, Hodge, Suckling, Gilham, Young, Rioli, Gunston
Port Adelaide - Schulz 4, Brett Ebert 2, Lobbe, Stewart, Broadbent 2, Brad Ebert, Boak, Westhoff

Best: Hawthorn - Mitchell, Puopolo, Lewis, Sewell, Hale
Port Adelaide - Pearce, Boak, Ebert, Schulz, Cornes

Crowd: 14,431 at Aurora Stadium

As predicted, Port Adelaide jumped out of the blocks on Sunday at Aurora Stadium with great intent, attacking both the man and the ball with intensity. Port Adelaide’s hot start, combined with a sluggish Hawthorn opening meant the Power led at quarter time.

They out hunted the Hawks, 11 tackles to 10, won the contested ball, 33 to 23 and out spread the Hawks, winning 60 uncontested possessions to 52. Those three key areas led to taking four marks inside forward 50, leading to seven scoring shots and a 13-point quarter time lead.

The Hawks switched on in the second term, however, impacting the scoreboard after just 14 seconds through Cyril Rioli. The Hawks were able to move the ball quickly and use their run and spread to open the Power up defensively. The Hawks had 64 uncontested possessions in the second term and took five marks inside forward 50.

Hawthorn was well and truly on top and, as they’d done in weeks previous, made their opposition pay when controlling the game. The Hawks piled on eight goals to two for the quarters, with Xavier Ellis and Isaac Smith providing some spark with two goals each.

Through quick and precise ball movement by foot, the Power couldn’t apply much pressure to the Hawks, as they’d done in the opening term. The Power laid just nine tackles in the second term as the Hawks got their game style going. At half time, the Hawks’ disposal efficiency was at 81.1 per cent - a damaging stat given the foot skills of the Hawks players.

A 26-point Hawthorn lead at half time was reduced to 21 at three-quarter time, after a see-sawing goal for foal term. Hawthorn Coach Alastair Clarkson was visibly frustrated with his side’s inability to close down space Port Adelaide had to work in. It was a free flowing match, with both teams winning their fair share of uncontested ball. 

The Hawks had 86 uncontested possessions and the Power 54, but it was their ability to win the contested ball that also worried Clarkson. At three-quarter time, the Power won the contested possession count 87-86 and booted five goals to four in the third.

An 11-goal final term would have pleased Clarkson, however, as the Hawks returned to their ruthless best. Led by Paul Puopolo (five goals) and David Hale (four), the Power had no answer for Hawthorn’s efficiency going forward. From 18 forward 50 entries, the Hawks kicked 11.3. That’s a scoring rate of 77.7 per cent in the final term.

Grant Birchall was arguably best-on-ground for the Hawks, as he was at his damaging best off half back providing plenty of run and drive. His 32 disposals at 100 per cent efficiency is the best record of any player, and he certainly made the Power pay on Sunday. He rebounded the ball five times from defensive 50 and sent the Hawks inside 50 on five occasions as well.

Sam Mitchell was again at his damaging best in the middle with 29 disposals and four clearances, along with Jordan Lewis (26 possessions, five clearances) and Isaac Smith (21 possessions, two goals) who were damaging in the midfield.

Paul Puopolo (21 disposals, five goals) had one of his best games of the season, playing the perfect crumbers’ game. Of Puopolo’s five goals, three came from the goal square as he perfectly positioned himself at the front of the pack.

David Hale too was impressive as the Hawks’ second ruck, partnering Max Bailey in his second match of the season. Hale had 13 possessions and proved to be a towering force up forward for the Hawks booting four goals. Particularly in the last term, Hale proved a headache for the Power, dominating young defender Jackson Trengove to hit the scoreboard.

What Alastair Clarkson said: “We were pretty scratchy early. We knew Port would come out fired up, that's the trend when a club changes coach during the season.

“We settled ourselves, had a really good second quarter and got control of the game.

“We never really played the type of footy that we like to play, and that’s usually restricting the opposition’s scoring. For them to kick 13 goals was a bit disappointing, but we still had a solid win.”