The second week of the 2024 AFL Finals saw the GWS Giants and Hawthorn Hawks eliminated for the remaining matches of the season as the Brisbane Lions and Port Adelaide Power progressed to the Preliminary Final.
Port Adelaide 75 (11.9) def Hawthorn 72 (11.6)
Humiliated by Geelong last week, Port Adelaide won a three-point thriller against the Hawthorn Hawks on the weekend, which will see them face the Sydney Swans next weekend. In their first finals victory against the Hawks in the history of the club, Mitchell Georgiades kicked a clutch goal to secure the win, as the Hawks ruined chances to take the lead from them.
Georgiades would finish with three goals, while Nick Watson produced a magnificent performance for the Hawks, which included three goals, nine disposals and two tackles, but it wasn’t enough for them to walk away as winners. Watson’s teammate Jai Newcombe led the disposal count with 31, while Power midfield du0 Jase Burgoyne (25) and Ollie Wines (23) led the count for Port Adelaide.
“It was certainly a really big win for us this year, and we’ve been through a lot. To do what we were able to do tonight was a great performance,” Power coach Ken Hinkley said after the game.
“I think we prepared really well for the game. We knew what we had to take away from Hawthorn and I thought we did that really, really well, and we had to stick really strongly to that plan.”
Elated Port Adelaide fans have made their voices heard after its thrilling three-point semi-final win over Hawthorn at Adelaide Oval. The Power faithful were on cloud nine after avoiding another straight-sets finals exit. #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/YuDdnZxykz
— 7NEWS Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) September 14, 2024
Brisbane 105 (15.15) def GWS 100 (15.10)
The Brisbane Lions have pulled off a remarkable comeback, advancing one step closer to making the AFL Grand Final in back-to-back seasons. Trailing by 44 points midway through the third quarter, the Lions kicked five goals in nine minutes to come back from the depths of despair and breathe life into the match.
Jesse Hogan may have kicked five goals during the clash, but it was Lions forward Joe Daniher who had the last laugh, celebrating the victory and kicking four goals in the process. Dayne Zorko, Charlie Cameron, and Kai Lohmann all kicked two to add to the scoreboard, while youngster Will Ashcroft and Jarrod Berry each had 27 possessions.
“The final quarter was the same as really the Swans game. We didn’t cope with the contest as well as what we would have liked,” Giants coach Adam Kingsley said post-match.
“(The Lions) capitalised on their opportunities, we didn’t really challenge them the other way. We certainly addressed it, we just didn’t execute it.
“That’ll be one of the things that we need to work on across the summer in preparation for next season, is how to address those moments, how to deal with them better.”
Can’t wipe the smiles off our faces either ☺️#AFLGiantsLions pic.twitter.com/kU5jNvSSTU
— Brisbane Lions (@brisbanelions) September 14, 2024