The First of Saturday’s AFL Round 16 matches is between Port Adelaide Power and Hawthorn Hawks. The game is set to commence at 1:15pm local time with the game to be played at AAMI Stadium. Away team Hawthorn Hawks go into the match as the favourites in the market. View our preview and teams for the game between  Port Adelaide Power and Hawthorn Hawks.

Round: Round 16 1:15 PM July 13, 2013
Stadium: AAMI Stadium
Weather: 17° Morning rain then showers

Featured Bookmakers:

Port Adelaide Power $4.50 vs Hawthorn Hawks $1.20 at Sportsbet Australia get a $250 FREE BET on this match

Port Adelaide Power $4.50 vs Hawthorn Hawks $1.20 at Luxbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Odds Comparison by AFL Odds:

Port Adelaide Power	4.50	4.25	4.50	4.25	4.50	4.50
Hawthorn Hawks	1.20	1.22	1.20	1.22	1.20	1.21

Preview:

Port had the unenviable task of facing Sydney, Collingwood and Essendon in successive rounds over the past three weeks but the Adelaide side met the challenge well, defeating Sydney and Collingwood before succumbing to Essendon last week 118 – 88.

It was another spirited performance by Port who led at the first change and were within 7 points during the third quarter.

They sit in eighth spot on the ladder, one win in front of West Coast who have to face Fremantle this week.

Hawthorn, despite losing for the eleventh consecutive to Geelong last week, held on to top spot on the ladder by percentages.

There’s no doubt the loss will have taken a little wind out of the Hawthorn’s sails however, they’ll be keen to reiterate that they are the best team in the competition and worthy flag favourites with a big win here.

Hawthorn has won five of the past six games between these to sides, the last four in succession.

When the sides last met in Round 20 of last year, it resulted in a comprehensive 72 point win to Hawthorn.

Port are clearly in a better place now when compared to then as evident by their recent form but will still find Hawthorn to hard to contain.

Teams:

Port Adelaide Power:
B: Cameron O’Shea, Alipate Carlile, Tom Logan
HB: Matthew Broadbent, Thomas Jonas, Paul Stewart
C: Chad Wingard, Travis Boak, Kane Cornes
HF: Robbie Gray, John Butcher, Angus Monfries
F: Jackson Trengove, Jay Schulz, Jake Neade
Foll: Matthew Lobbe, Matt Thomas, Hamish Hartlett
Int: Oliver Wines, Andrew Moore, Brad Ebert, Jasper Pittard
Emerg: Nathan Blee, Lewis Stevenson, Jack Hombsch

In: M.Thomas, J.Butcher
Out: J.Westhoff (suspension), J.Hombsch

Hawthorn Hawks:
B: Ben Stratton, Brian Lake, Brent Guerra
HB: Luke Hodge, Josh Gibson, Shaun Burgoyne
C: Isaac Smith, Sam Mitchell, Bradley Hill
HF: Jack Gunston, Lance Franklin, Luke Breust
F: Shane Savage, Jarryd Roughead, Cyril Rioli
Foll: David Hale, Jordan Lewis, Paul Puopolo
Int: Taylor Duryea, Max Bailey, Jonathan Simpkin, Brendan Whitecross
Emerg: Kyle Cheney, Brad Sewell, Jonathon Ceglar

In: B.Guerra
Out: B.Sewell

Banned Port player scolded by AFL coach

Utility Justin Westhoff has copped a second dressing down after breaking Port Adelaide’s cardinal rule by getting suspended for striking.

Livid coach Ken Hinkley says Westhoff put himself before the team in incurring a one-match AFL ban for belting Essendon’s Cale Hooker.

“I won’t cop that,” Hinkley told reporters on Thursday.

“It’s not something I want to have happen in our team.

“Players can live in their own moment for too long and hurt the side – that is not going to help.

“Westy got told that straight after the game and I told him again this morning.

“We miss him. And that hurts our team.

“An individual should never put himself in front of the team.”

Westhoff will miss Saturday’s home match against table-toppers Hawthorn, as Port try to keep their hold on eighth spot.

The game-breaker will be replaced by forward John Butcher, who after three goals in three games was dropped three weeks ago.

Defender Jasper Pittard has overcome a foot injury and will play against the Hawks, who remain ladder leaders despite last week’s loss to Geelong.

“We can learn a lot from how Geelong went,” Hinkley said.

“And you can learn a lot from other quarters that other sides have played on them too, not just the Geelong end result.

“There have been sides throughout the year that have caused Hawthorn some issues … we have just got to look at that and drill right down there.”

Hinkley was preparing his players for a scrap, given forecast rain and stiff winds for the Saturday afternoon fixture.

“The way we’ll beat Hawthorn is we’ll have to play four quarters of our absolute best football,” he said.

“Most important in any game, you have got to be willing to commit your body to the contest.

“We need to bring pressure and we need to bring hardness to the contest and if we do that, we’ll be in every game we play.”