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Sport Nation
Why Gather Round blockbuster is Port Adelaide’s "grand final"
Nicholas Quinlan • April 12th, 2025 3:52 pm
Kane Cornes is of the opinion that Port Adelaide must use the "backs against the wall" approach to help rally the Power to an improbable victory against Hawthorn for what could be their grand final.
On SEN’s Crunch Time, the 300-game player for the Power cited the example of last year’s semi-final which Port won by three points after losing the previous week by 84 points to Geelong.
“Unfortunately, Port Adelaide just aren’t good. That’s the only downer to this game,” Cornes said.
“Now that’s not to say that they can’t pull out a once-off performance that they have done before, and that final was a great example of that.
“Backs against the wall, been smashed the previous week, few injuries here or there.
“Hawthorn, the hottest team in it, fresh off that win against the Bulldogs in the final at the MCG looked irresistible and Port Adelaide came with a ferocity and an intensity and a pressure.
“And that’s the thing I think we forget with the actions overshadowing the actual game and how good Port Adelaide were.
“They are not a good side, but can they pull off a once-off performance like they have done in the past under Ken Hinkley and really steel themselves to make this their grand final.”
Three-time premiership captain Luke Hodge believes that while Hawthorn is the better side, Ken Hinkley would be crazy not to tap into the emotions of his players to find an advantage.
“Ken is going to them and using every little bit of motivation from that game to try and get the best out of them,” Hodge said.
“So if you get Rozee, Butters, Horne-Francis, I want to see them start in the middle.
“I don’t think they will because that’s been proven over the last 18 months to two years that it’s a bit of a flaw because they are all forward runners.
“But if I was Ken, I would start them there just to say bang for buck, we're giving this side absolutely everything.
“He’s going to use the motivation and passion to try and get this win.”
Hodge also thinks that a loss against the Hawks would signify the end of Hinkley’s coaching career at Alberton.
“If they lose to Hawthorn, what’s the point of keeping the handover considering their season is pretty much shot,” Hodge acknowledged.
“So, they are technically playing for their coach this weekend.”
Port Adelaide’s blockbuster match to finish Gather Round will take place on Sunday night at 7:20pm AEDT.
