Port pressure can crack Hawks: Hartlett

Influential Port Adelaide midfielder Hamish Hartlett says only extreme pressure can crack Hawthorn in Saturday’s AFL preliminary final.

Hartlett says Port’s ability to hassle the Hawks and curtail their renowned skills will be pivotal in the MCG encounter.

“We know they’re an incredibly talented side in terms of their skill,” Hartlett told reporters on Thursday.

“We really need to try and minimise the amount of time and space that they have got to be able to deliver the ball the way they do.

“That will be really important – make sure our pressure is as good as it has been all season.

“As a group we need to defend all over the ground. As midfielders and forwards, we need to apply a huge amount of pressure on the ball going inside 50 to make it easier for our defenders to try and stop their opponents.

“Hawthorn’s forward line – (Luke) Breust, (Jack) Gunston and (Jarryd) Roughead – have all kicked 50 plus goals for the year and are in pretty good form.

“So we need to do our part further up the ground to allow our defenders to do it a bit easier.”

The Power, chasing their first grand final berth since 2007, enter the fixture as underdogs against the reigning premiers, who boast vastly more finals experience than the South Australians.

“People will see that as a bit of an advantage for Hawthorn but we have shown in the last couple of years that we have been able to step up to big occasions,” he said.

“There’s only a handful of guys who have played in a preliminary final in our squad, for a lot of us it’s a first-time occasion.

“Everyone is just incredibly excited to get out there and soak up the atmosphere and have a red-hot crack.”

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