Overview
- Hawthorn beat Port Adelaide 89–86 at Marvel Stadium after Mitch Georgiades pushed a 45m set shot wide in the final minute.
- Debutant William McCabe kept Hawthorn alive with a clutch 50m set shot that leveled the scores in the last term.
- Nick Watson kicked five goals for the Hawks and exited late with a possible thumb injury.
- Port flipped the game in the second quarter as Zak Butters and Jason Horne-Francis drove a six-goal burst to a nine-point halftime lead.
- Broadcasters hailed the contest as a season highlight, following an opening blitz where Hawthorn kicked four goals in seven minutes to lead by 25.