Hawks down Port by 32 points - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Hawks down Port by 32 points

Steve Larkin 07/05/2011 11:22:39 AM Comments (0)

Port Adelaide's AFL misery continued with a 32-point loss to Hawthorn and another knee injury to prime mover David Rodan on Friday night.

Rodan, who has already had three knee reconstructions, could need another after being injured in Hawthorn's comeback 15.14 (104) to 10.12 (72) victory at AAMI Stadium.

The Hawks struggled to shake the Power, but kicked eight of the last nine goals of the game to log their fourth victory of the season before 21,819 spectators.

Influential ruckman Brent Renouf and star forward Lance Franklin each booted three goals while onballer Sam Mitchell was a prolific gatherer.

Goalsneak Robbie Gray snared two majors for the Power, who emerged from a fortnight under the harsh spotlight following consecutive collapses to stun Hawthorn early.

Port skipped to a 19-point lead midway through the opening quarter after Hawk defender Grant Birchall contributed to the game's opening goals - but one was for Port.

Birchall set up Renouf for the game's first but then butchered a backline pass to gift Danyle Pearce a major for the Power.

Pearce's goal was the first of four in a row for Port before ill discipline cost the home side dearly and propelled the Hawks into the match.

Hawthorn goaled after 50 metre penalties against Port's Tom Logan and Alipate Carlile and the visitors trailed by just eight points at quarter-time.

Port held that buffer for much of the second stanza until their spearhead Franklin threaded from near the boundary, and scores were level at 7.7 at the main break.

The Power kicked the opening two goals of the third quarter before Rodan's injury and an umpiring blunder assisted the Hawks.

Port were 12 points in front when Rodan collapsed, clutching his right knee.

Rodan had that knee rebuilt in 2005 when at Richmond and also had LARS reconstructions on his left knee twice, the most recent late last year.

His misfortune was followed later by Hawk captain Luke Hodge being paid a mark in the goal square which was clearly touched by his tagger, Tom Logan.

Hodge converted and seven minutes later the Hawks had the lead following Renouf's second and an accurate Chance Bateman snap.

Holding a six-point buffer at the last change, Franklin left his lasting legacy with consecutive goals to start the final term to extend Hawthorn to a safe goal distance away from Port, who were spirited but ultimately left with just one win this year.

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson praised the spirit of his men.

"It wasn't overly impressive in terms of dominating the play but we just ground the game out and got on top eventually," Clarkson said.

"They always had the ascendancy over us for the whole of the first half and we were fortunate to still be in striking distance halfway through the third quarter." Port coach Matthew Primus said the initial diagnosis on Rodan's injured knee was cartilage damage that won't require another reconstruction, but likely six weeks sidelined.

Primus said the performance was improved on lacklustre losses of past weeks.

"The way we went about out footy was very good," he said.

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