It was arguably the most devastating display of the AFL season as Port Adelaide piled on 71 points before ladder-leading Sydney had troubled the scoreboard. The damage was done long before the main break but even after dropping down a gear for the second half, the Power pulled away for a 112-point triumph that laid down their marker as a genuine 2024 premiership contender.
Just 48 days later, Port Adelaide return for a rematch now tagged as underdogs. Even if supposed momentum wasnât behind the Swans, it is likely that Ken Hinkley would have found a way to shift the intangible force over to them. The Power coach likes his side to play with their backs to the wall, whether they are under fire from their own fans, taking their turn as the punditariatâs weekly target, or as the victim of a cheeky opponentâs pre-match jibe.
Port have not lost to the Swans since 2016, winning all eight matches since then by an average 34 points, but will arrive at the SCG with their own history to rewrite. This will be Portâs fourth preliminary final in 12 seasons under Hinkley; they are still hoping to reach a first grand final since 2007, let alone end the clubâs now 20-year wait for a second flag.
Hinkley is happy for his players to be charged with emotion even if it is debatable whether passion can only get a football team so far. But whatever inspired the intense pressure and dogged determination that propelled the Power towards a three-point victory over Hawthorn last week is something they will want to carry into their clash with the Swans on Friday night.
The Power have been able to get the game on their own terms in recent meetings with the Swans, dominating the clearances 41-31 and contested possessions 135-108 in the rout less than seven weeks ago. In this critical area of the game, the Power have only lowered their colours to the Swans once in clearances and twice for contested possessions during their eight-match winning streak.
Whether or not the Power can extend their supremacy over the Swans to a ninth encounter will likely depend on the battle between each of their star-studded midfields. The Power bat deep with captain Connor Rozee returning to form, Zak Butters and Ollie Wines leading the way as combative onballers, and the explosive Jason Horne-Francis seemingly always on the brink of tearing a game apart.
But the most important role could fall to the versatile Willem Drew as the Power midfielder asked to minimise the influence of the Swansâ triple threat. Dual All-Australian Errol Gulden has had weakness exposed in recent weeks when under the effect of a hard tag, limited to a season-low 14 disposals against Collingwood even as Sydney started to shake off their late-season slump.
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Isaac Heeney, not coincidentally, had his quietest game of the season in the heavy defeat to the Power, gathering only 17 disposals that night as the Swansâ other prime mover Chad Warner finished with 19. The dynamic duo have since bounced back and all but dragged their side across the line in a qualifying final thriller against GWS Giants, when Heeney was imperious across the contest with 30 touches and three goals while Warner saved his best for the last term as he collected 13 of his 27 disposals.
The Swans pair are just as crucial to their hopes in the forward half with Warner booting 32 goals and Heeney 31 to both be among the top three midfielders in the competition for impact on the scoreboard. Even without a formidable focal point, the Swans are the highest scoring side in the league while averaging 97 points a game, but only managed a season-low 36 in the round 21 humiliation against the Power. Locking down on the Swansâ heavy-hitters and scoring potential has been a key to the Powerâs head-to-head success, restricting their opponents to an average 61 points across their eight-win stretch.
The Power were able to overcome fielding an inexperienced backline in their semi-final against the Hawks, with Aliir Aliir and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher marshalling the defence while young gun Jase Burgoyne delivered a breakout performance. Aliir lined up at full-back the last time the Swans defeated the Power in 2016, but was wearing red and white at that time before switching clubs four years later.
After struggling for form and even losing his stronghold on a position at the back during his last season with the Swans, Aliir earned an All-Australian blazer in his first year with the Power. The 30-year-old has averaged similar numbers for disposals, rebounds and intercept marks this season compared to 2021, though he hasnât quite had the same direct influence on a result as on his last visit to the SCG.
The Power had overrun the Swans in the final term in round four last year when Oliver Florent had an opportunity to snatch victory with a set shot after the siren. The midfielderâs rocket from the 50m arc looked set to sail through for a goal until Aliir leapt highest to knock the ball back into play. That two-point margin is still the closest the Swans have come to beating the Power in eight years, and while the recent blowout is unlikely to be repeated the past two results should be firm reminders that Hinkleyâs mob can win in multiple ways and thrive on being underrated.
