LIVE: Port star fails late fitness test; red-hot start as fairytale Hawks ...

Port Adelaide dominated the opening quarter and a half of their semi-final against Hawthorn, before three free kicks gave the visitors three goals. Live updates below!

The Power led 24-2 before three free kicks - one for holding Calsher Dear, the second for a dangerous tackle on Mabior Chol and the third for another dangerous tackle on Dylan Moore - finally got Hawthorn on the board with the second sparking major controversy.

Chol’s arms were pinned by Lachie Jones and his head made contact with the turf, clearly fitting the guidelines for a dangerous tackle, but most fans were still left upset with the call.

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“One of the worst free kicks you’re ever going to see,” Kane Cornes said on SEN.

A Willie Rioli goal moments before the siren gave Port Adelaide a 5.6 (36) to 4.3 (27) lead at halftime.

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The Power (2nd in home & away, lost qualifying final to Geelong by 84 points) are desperate to rebound from last week’s faceplant. They are otherwise staring down a second consecutive September where they finished in the top four, but failed to win a final.

The Hawks (7th in home & away season, won elimination final over Western Bulldogs by 37 points) are looking to complete the greatest in-season turnaround ever. They were the third team to go from 0-5 or worse to the finals, but neither of the prior sides went as far as making a preliminary final.

Charlie Dixon is a late out after failing a fitness test on the Adelaide Oval just under two hours before the first bounce of Port Adelaide’s semi-final against Hawthorn.

The out-of-form veteran forward was the only Power player seen having a kick and light jog around the oval at the time; it certainly wasn’t strenuous and looked innocuous to the naked eye, but it came amid reports he has been battling illness in the lead-up.

He was replaced by 186cm mid/forward Will Lorenz, who has played one quarter at AFL level (coming on as the sub in Round 17). Lorenz was named the sub, with Hawthorn picking 300-gamer Luke Breust.

Lorenz’s grandfather is 1961 Hawthorn premiership captain Graham Arthur.

One positive sign for Port Adelaide is the history of teams who get smashed in qualifying finals rebounding one week later.

Under the current top eight format, AFL teams who lost a qualifying final by 50+ points are 11-0 in their semi-finals, the most recent being Geelong in 2017 (lost QF by 51 points, won SF by 59 points).

While Ken Hinkley firmly denied the claims in his press conference on Thursday, it has been reported he will part ways with the club if Port Adelaide loses and suffers a second consecutive straight sets exit.

These sides met once this season, with the Power coming back from 41 points down (and 28 points down at three-quarter-time) while kicking two goals in the final minute to win by a point.

Tonight’s winner will face Sydney in the First Preliminary Final next Friday night at the SCG, while the loser will be eliminated.

This match got underway at 7:40pm AEST/7:10pm ACST from Adelaide Oval.

Watch it live on Fox Footy (channel 504), streaming on Kayo or via Hubbl.

Follow Port Adelaide v Hawthorn in the Second Semi Final in our live blog below!

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