Port Adelaide’s next generation of AFL stars delivered stunning second halves to lift the Power over Fremantle and into a preliminary final against Hawthorn.
The Power have enjoyed a remarkable turnaround in two seasons under coach Ken Hinkley, first winning a final in 2013 and then pushing Geelong in a semi-final following a 2012 season in which they finished 16th.
Port then won eight games straight between Rounds 4 and 12 this year to be clear on top of the ladder before struggling a little in the second half of the season to finish fifth.
They then dominated Richmond at the Adelaide Oval to book a spot in the first semi-final against Fremantle at Patersons Stadium and, after trailing by as many as 31 points in the second quarter, kicked 12 goals to five in the second half to win by 22 points.
And it was on the back of perhaps the most exciting group of young talent in the AFL with Robbie Gray and Chad Wingard kicking four goals each, Ollie Wines three and Hamish Hartlett picking up a game-high 33 possessions to go with eight clearances.
Gray, 26, was named the AFL Coaches Association Player of the Year this season.
Wingard is just 21, Wines 20 and Hartlett 24 so, while they have played Port Adelaide into a preliminary final against Hawthorn at the MCG next Saturday night, there should be plenty more to come no matter the result.
Gray stood up with four third-quarter goals when the game seemed lost at half time while Hartlett and Wines were enormous in the midfield, and Wingard was simply brilliant in clutch moments.
After the match, Gray was quick pass on the credit to the work of midfielders like Hartlett and Wines for providing the opportunity for himself and Wingard to be match-winners.
“We were a bit flat at half-time and Kenny just wanted us to come out and take the game on a little bit more, and I thought our mids and defenders especially got on top and that gave us forwards the opportunities,” Gray said.
“We know that Freo play a hard style of footy so we knew it was going to be a massive challenge coming over here, and I’m just stoked for the boys. We really wanted to get this one and we got the job done.”
