SECOND v third. Tom Hawkins' 300th. A spot in the preliminary final up for grabs. Strap yourself in for a blockbuster start to the 2021 Toyota AFL Finals Series with Port Adelaide taking on Geelong at Adelaide Oval from 7.20pm ACST.
The Power came from the clouds to secure second spot and a home final after winning their final six games, while the Cats stumbled twice, including blowing a 44-point lead to Melbourne last week in the battle for the minor premiership.
The result is a repeat of last year's qualifying final, which Port Adelaide won by 16 points.
But Adelaide Oval will hold no fears for Geelong this year after the Cats triumphed by 21 points in round 13 with Hawkins, Jeremy Cameron, and Gary Rohan combining for 12 goals in a dominant performance.
POWER v CATS Follow it LIVE
Fresh off his maiden selection in the Therabody AFL All-Australian team, Aliir Aliir and the rest of the Power defence will have their hands full in trying to contain the Cats' three-headed monster, led by its milestone man, 'the Tomahawk'.
Hawkins has established himself as one of the all-time great Geelong forwards and he becomes just the sixth Cat in history to reach the 300-game mark.
At the selection table, Ken Hinkley replaced hamstrung forward Mitch Georgiades with crafty goalsneak Orazio Fantasia, while Mitch Duncan returns for Geelong in place of youngster Max Holmes.
It promises to be an absolute cracker with the victor guaranteed a week off and just a win away from a spot in the 2021 Toyota AFL Grand Final.
There are no late changes for the clash, with Power bull Sam Powell-Pepper and Cats veteran Shaun Higgins the medical substitutes.
Port Adelaide v Geelong at Adelaide Oval, 7.20pm ACST
NO LATE CHANGES
MEDICAL SUBSTITUTES
Port Adelaide: Sam Powell-Pepper
Geelong: Shaun Higgins
