IF HISTORY is a reliable guide, Port Adelaide's qualifying final belting shouldn't prevent it from stopping the Hawthorn juggernaut on Friday night, while it should give Geelong optimism about the possibilities of yet another premiership.  

The Cats handed the Power an 84-point drubbing at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night, continuing Port's miserable finals record in recent years.

But there is some good news for Port, despite a sixth defeat in its past eight finals, and even better news for Geelong.

The Power became the 12th team since the current finals system was introduced in 2000 to lose a qualifying final by 50 or more points, and the first since 2017.

Surprisingly given the bruising nature of such a defeat, the previous 11 have all responded quickly to win their semi-final the following week.

Ken Hinkley's under-fire side faces a huge challenge on Friday, however, with in-form Hawks likely to head to Adelaide Oval as favourites after yet another impressive performance in the opening week of the finals.

As for the Cats, who are two wins away from a fifth flag since 2007, history suggests they will make at least the Grand Final.

Of the 11 teams since 2000 to win a qualifying final by 50-plus points, all 11 have reached the Grand Final and eight have won the flag.

Of the three who didn't go all the way, two of them (Geelong in 2008 and Brisbane in 2004) lost the season decider to a team that had also won their qualifying final by more than 50 points.

While there may be some cautious optimism in Adelaide this week, the Power are also facing some unwanted history.

Last year, Melbourne became the first team since the current finals system was introduced in 2000 to suffer a straight-sets finals exit in consecutive years. The Power will join the Demons if they lose on Friday night.

Since 2014, 10 teams in 10 seasons have exited in straight sets after just two clubs suffered that fate in the 14 seasons beforehand.

The introduction of the pre-finals bye may have been a contributing factor; since it came in in 2016, seven teams in eight seasons have lost two straight finals after finishing in the top four compared to five teams in the 16 seasons before the bye was introduced.

While history suggests Port should bounce back, it's the Cats who are on track for the ultimate prize.

Straight-sets exits

(Teams to lose a qualifying and semi-final in the same season since 2000)

2001: Port Adelaide (3rd)
2007: West Coast (3rd)
2014: Fremantle (4th)
2014: Geelong (3rd)
2015: Sydney (4th)
2016: Hawthorn (3rd)
2018: Hawthorn (4th)
2019: Brisbane (2nd)
2021: Brisbane (4th)
2022: Melbourne (2nd)
2023: Port Adelaide (3rd)
2023: Melbourne (4th)

Teams to lose a qualifying final by 50-plus points since 2000

Teams to win a qualifying final by 50-plus points since 2000