15 minutes into this game, it appeared as though the Hawthorn Football Club were about to leave Port Adelaide in their dust. Dominating possession of the footy, they kicked four quick goals to have a 25-point lead before the Power could even throw a punch.
But Port were just getting warmed up, and as the teams emerged from the huddles to commence the second quarter, a sudden change came over the game.
If you ever wanted to see what difference a few coaching moves, and a change in game plan can make in a contest, I would recommend watching this game. Sam Mitchell was the one to find the early edge, with his Hawks dominating the clearance and owning the corridor, but as soon as that siren sounded to end the first stanza, that domination was over.
The script was flipped, and Port started to beat Hawthorn at their own game. They out-pressured the home team, took control of the centre of the ground, and refused to kick long to a contest and turn the footy over.
At halftime, it was the Power by nine, as they completely turned the tables on the Hawks, and held them goalless for the quarter. This is exactly what you want to see from a new head coach – the ability to change the game when it is not on your terms, and although the Power did not end the game with the four points, I saw enough to feel comfortable that they have the right man in the role at Alberton.
There was the standard share of controversy to go along with the action, with the umpires once again under the pump in several instances. Nick Watson’s ability to extract free kicks will be debated long and hard, particularly by Port fans, but with five snags for the game, he once again proved that those who disputed his value as a high draft pick were way off the mark.
Port would be pleased with the performance of Jason Horne-Francis, who continues to grow into a powerful presence as he alternates between the guts and full forward, whilst Will McCabe, Calsher Dear, and Ewan MacKinlay all had standout moments during the contest.
A heap to get through in this game, so let’s jump into The Mongrel’s Big Questions emanating from the Hawks’ fifth win of the season.
This is just the introduction – the remainder of this article is for our members. They support me, and I provide for them. It’s a good deal.
Oh… a Mongrel paywall… the worst of all paywalls. We’re all in on the 2026 AFL season. Player articles, stats, awards, game coverage. Dump the mainstream lip service and dive into articles like this – you will never look back. If you don’t want to, that’s fine. I consider it your loss as we get into the grind of the season, and you’re stuck with the stuff that’s frustrated you for years.
