Same old story for Port Adelaide as they capitulate in September again

Port Adelaide said they were better prepared for finals compared to 12 months ago when they were bundled out in straight sets. MATT TURNER writes, it was another familiar tale.

The result might have seemed unbelievable on the surface but in reality it was all too familiar.

Another September, another Port Adelaide capitulation.

Riding a six-game winning streak, warm favouritism and facing a Geelong side missing superstar Tom Stewart, the Power was trounced by 84 points at home in the qualifying final.

It kicked just one goal after halftime. The Cats piled on 11.

Thousands of Port fans who left the ground while their team was being thrashed must have felt like they were watching the sequel to a terrible movie.

The Power has now lost four consecutive finals, three by at least eight goals and three at Adelaide Oval.

The Power were stunned by Geelong, but it’s a familiar finals tale. Picture: Getty Images

Thursday night’s margin was the biggest finals defeat in Ken Hinkley’s 12 years as coach and second only to the 119-point grand final hiding by Geelong in 2007 as the largest major round loss in the club’s AFL history.

Port’s most recent September win was three years ago, in the 2021 qualifying final versus the Cats.

Since then, it has been trounced by the Western Bulldogs by 71 points in a home preliminary final, bounced in straight sets last season and now put itself on the verge of another early exit.

The gorilla on the Power’s back has evolved into King Kong.

Hinkley’s side is publicly switching its focus to next week’s knockout semi-final, not wanting to dwell too long on the horror result.

But it needs to quickly try to get to the bottom of why it keeps wilting on the finals stage.

Port kept saying it was ready this time, better prepared than 12 months ago and having learnt from the experience.

The scoreboard made a mockery of that.

Winning pressure games on the road against top-eight sides and beating 15th-placed Adelaide in a fierce Showdown are all well and good.

Finals are a different beast.

Particularly against teams hardened by its own September failures – and success.

Geelong’s last final was its 81-point triumph in the 2022 flag decider.

Even without Stewart, Tom Hawkins and Cam Guthrie, the Cats’ line-up included 14 premiership players.

Port’s side boasted one – ex-West Coast goalsneak Willie Rioli.

Not so long ago, Geelong copped the type of criticism the Power was receiving.

After winning the 2011 flag in Chris Scott’s first season as coach, the Cats were 7-15 in finals over the next 10 years.

They lost finals by 83, 51 and 61 points during that time.

Geelong kept turning up and its hard work was rewarded with the 2022 premiership.

These Cats and Scott are now two wins away from a third flag together.

Yet they were a popular choice as the most likely team to get knocked out in straight sets.

Somehow, Geelong keeps lulling pundits into underestimating them, while the Power does the opposite, getting footy experts to think this may finally be their year.

Stewart’s late withdrawal due to illness would have had many pundits thinking ‘surely Port could not lose this one’.

Connor Rozee leads his dejected troops from the ground. Picture: Getty Images

But Power fans with long memories might have recalled wondering the same when Collingwood captain Nathan Buckley and Sydney champion Michael O’Loughlin did not play in Adelaide in their clubs’ qualifying finals in 2002 and 2003.

They were games Port entered as huge favourites and lost – by 13 and 12 points.

That was a different era, but the Power was reliving it now to some degree.

Between 2001 and 2003, Port went 2-6 in the major rounds, including losing three consecutive qualifying finals.

The club is 1-4 since its respectable, six-point home defeat to Richmond in the 2020 preliminary final.

That Port side from two decades ago was called chokers until it won three straight finals, capped by the 2004 premiership.

Choking is an overused word in sport but it is fitting for Port’s losses to the Bulldogs and Cats.

Both were shocking showings that unravelled quickly and without much resistance in matches the Power was widely expected to win.

Hinkley’s teams have been unable to make it past a preliminary final in his 12 seasons.

Ken Hinkley is under serious pressure. Picture: Getty Images

They face an uphill battle to get to the last four this year, especially if star midfielder Zak Butters (ribs) joins Dan Houston, Kane Farrell and Sam Powell-Pepper on the sidelines.

Port’s philosophy under Hinkley has been very Geelong-like – remain in contention every year and give yourself a chance to win the flag.

He may not get another opportunity beyond next week.

Lose in straight-sets again and you suspect the Power board will part with Hinkley with a year to go on his contract.

It will be fascinating to see how Port, under immense pressure once again, responds in its semi-final.

In a wide open flag race, after such an impressive couple of months, to bow out in two weeks would be another massive wasted opportunity.