PORT Adelaide is into its first preliminary final since 2007 after a stunning 22–point win over Fremantle in Saturday night's semi-final at Patersons Stadium.
The Dockers led by 31 points late in the second term, and by 24 at half-time, only for the Power to run over them like a steam train to win 15.15 (105) to 11.17 (83) in front of 42,338 fans.
The catalyst for the comeback was Robbie Gray. He kicked four goals in the third term from five possessions, twice reclaiming the lead from Fremantle.
Ollie Wines kicked three goals in the second half to go with his 26 disposals and five tackles for the match, and Chad Wingard finished with four goals including a stunning sealer, having started a chain of possession from defensive 50 to nail a sublime snap from the pocket to silence the purple haze.
"It was a very brave performance," Port coach Ken Hinkley said.
"We could have quite easily, possibly, probably rolled over away from home against a side with the amazing pressure they were putting on us."
The Dockers will rue their missed opportunities in first half as Port kicked 12 goals to five in the second half. For 12 minutes in the second quarter the ball was exclusively in their forward half yet they managed 2.4 from their supreme dominance.
"It was about dropped marks, missed targets and conversion. And they are the basics," Fremantle coach Ross Lyon said.
"Some of our players, they know, some of their old habits of the basics that under pressure that don't get executed too often reared up at times tonight, particularly in the last quarter.
"We need to get better at not fumbling, not dropping marks, and hitting targets and making good decisions. That's the game."
Michael Walters kicked three goals for the night but he kicked three behinds in the second term. Lachie Neale was outstanding with 32 touches while Nat Fyfe fought extremely hard gathering 28 disposals and kicking two first-quarter goals. Aaron Sandilands was brilliant in the ruck all night.
Port kicked the opening goal of the match through Angus Monfries but thereafter Fremantle dominated proceedings in the first half but could not convert that dominance on the scoreboard.
Match gallery: Fremantle v Port AdelaideChris Mayne was outstanding up forward and had a hand in both of Fyfe's goals in the first term. Neale was everywhere with 15 touches for the term.
But Wingard's first goal in the shadows of quarter-time meant the Dockers only led by nine points at the first change.
Matt White shows his speed along the boundary line. Picture: AFL Media
The home side's dominance was even greater in the second term but their inaccuracy was even more significant.
But when Port finally mounted a challenge the Power forwards' also missed golden chances. Jay Schulz butchered a set-shot from close range and Jake Neade and Jared Polec missed chances on the run.
Hayden Crozier made the visitors pay with a goal to extend the lead to a game-high 31 points.
Another late goal from Wingard trimmed the margin to 24 at half-time with Port's half-time score of 3.5 (22) its third lowest of the season.
Gray took control after the main break with his incredible four goals as Fremantle panicked in defence. A shaky kick across goal from Danyle Pearce gifted a goal to Wingard and Duffield held Gray 50m off the ball to hand the star forward his third.
The Dockers found another gear through Sandilands at the start of the last and goals to Walters and Crozier established a 10-point lead. But Port answered again with Wines kicking two goals in three minutes.
Wingard sealed the match with an incredible snap before Polec and Jay Schulz put the icing on the cake with late goals.
Port will play Hawthorn next Saturday afternoon at the MCG, while the Dockers join the Cats in bowing out of the finals in straight sets.
FREMANTLE 3.5 6.11 8.13 11.17 (83)
PORT ADELAIDE 2.2 3.5 9.9 15.15 (105)
GOALS
Fremantle: Walters 3, Fyfe 2, Barlow 2, Crozier 2, Sandilands, Pearce
Port Adelaide: Gray 4, Wingard 4, Wines 3, Monfries, White, Polec, Schulz
BEST
Fremantle: Fyfe, Neale, Walters, Mayne, Mundy, Sandilands,
Port Adelaide: Gray, Wines, Wingard, Hartlett, Carlile, Westhoff
INJURIES
Fremantle: Silvagni (hamstring tightness) replaced in selected side by de Boer. Taberner (groin), Ibbotson (shoulder)
Port Adelaide: Jonas (hip)
SUBSTITUTES
Fremantle: Matt de Boer replaced Matt Taberner in the third quarter
Port Adelaide: Aaron Moore replaced Tom Jonas at half-time
Reports: Zac Dawson for striking Robbie Gray in the third term
Umpires: Margetts, Stevic, Schmitt
Official crowd: 42,338 at Patersons Stadium
