Port Adelaide star Jeremy Finlayson kicks FIVE goals to beat Hawthorn
Port Adelaide star Jeremy Finlayson kicks five goals to end dream week following news of his wife Kellie’s cancer…as Hawthorn’s woes continue with ninth straight defeat
Port Adelaide’s Jeremy Finlayson has kicked five goals in a 55-point belt from Hawthorn, creating a club-record AFL winning streak.
Second-seeded Power’s 23.13 (151) to 14.12 (96) loss at Adelaide Oval on Saturday is their ninth straight win – an improvement on their eight consecutive wins in the 2002, 2003 and 2014 seasons.
Finlayson played a big part in the beating, to cap off a remarkable week after his wife Kellie got a big boost in her battle with cancer.
The mother of a child, struggling with a stage four terminal diagnosis, has seen the severity reduced to a lower level after chemotherapy.
She is not cancer free, but it is a hugely positive step for the young family.
Port Adelaide took a ninth consecutive win after hammering Hawthorn on Saturday
Jeremy Finlayson kicked five goals in the 55-point win at Adelaide Oval
Port also recorded a series of scoring benchmarks against the Hawks, who were pitiful in the first half and trailed at the long break by 82 points.
The Power surged to 9.3 in the quarter time – their highest score in an opening term at Adelaide Oval, and their highest in any game since 2009.
Port scored a further seven goals in the second quarter for a total of 16.9 (105) – their highest ever halftime score, surpassing the previous record of 15.5 (95) against Richmond in 2002.
The Power’s half-time lead of 82 points was also a record for Ken Hinkley’s club. Halfway through the third term, the hosts were ahead by 96 points.
But the Hawks stopped the bleeding by kicking eight of the game’s last 10 goals.
The only bright spot in Hawthorn’s dismal first half was Luke Breust kicking his 500th career goal, joining Leigh Matthews, Jason Dunstall and Jarryd Roughead as the Hawks to reach that milestone.
Port’s Finlayson scored four goals in the first quarter and his five for the match tied his career high.
It caps off a dream week after his wife Kellie’s cancer battle took a turn for the better
Fellow forwards Todd Marshall (five goals) and Junior Rioli (four goals) also match their career best performances.
Port’s midfield duo of Connor Rozee (29 disposals, 13 inside-50s, one goal) and Zak Butters (26 touches, one goal) continued their fine form, while Brownlow medalist Ollie Wines collected 24 possessions and halfback Dan Houston’s 20 disposals consisted of two long goals.
Hawthorn’s Breust finished with five goals in a standout performance for his 16th-placed club and Mitch Lewis scored three majors.
Hawk on-baller James Worpel amassed a match-high 35 disposals as former Power pair Jarman Impey (33 touches, one goal) and Karl Amon (25, one goal) battled valiantly against the Port tide.