Port Adelaide are bracing to survive a ferocious early assault from Geelong in Friday night’s AFL semi-final, Power midfielder Hamish Hartlett says.
Hartlett says Geelong, still smarting from their home qualifying final loss to Fremantle, will seek a quick kill of Port in the sudden-death final at the MCG.
“We understand they’re a very proud club and they very rarely lose two in a row, so they will come out firing, no doubt,” Hartlett told reporters on Wednesday.
“The last two times we have played them this year, we have got off to a slow start and they have really got the jump on us and it has cost us in the end.”
In round nine in Adelaide, the Cats kicked seven goals to Port’s none in the first quarter and cruised to an eight-goal win.
In round 20 in Geelong, the Cats booted six goals to Port’s one in the opening term, and led by 51 points at halftime, before taking their collective foot of the pedal in a 25-point triumph.
Hartlett said Port learnt invaluable lessons from the defeats.
“The first time, we all got sucked in to the ball a little bit and they got us on the outside. And last time, they did chip the ball around a fair bit so we’ll think of ways to combat that as well,” he said.
“They’re a professional line-up, they’re so experienced, arguably the most successful team in the history of the game over the last decade.
“They have got some super players and some guys we really aspire to be like.
“Our football club all year has aspired to be like the Geelong Football Club … so we still learn a fair bit from them. But we’re certainly not frightened by the challenge.”
Hartlett said Port’s upset win against Collingwood in last Saturday night’s elimination final gave Power players further belief that they belonged in the AFL’s top echelon.
“The belief has gone up again, no doubt,” he said.
“A year or two ago when we faced teams like Geelong, we might have said that we’re a good chance to beat them … but deep down we probably thought it’s a fair mountain to climb.
“But at the moment, the belief is really high within the group. We’re really confident.”