PORT Adelaide has survived an extraordinary comeback from Hawthorn to score an upset eight-point win at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night, 15.9 (99) to 13. 13 (91).

The Hawks trailed by as many as 58-points in the second quarter after the Power rocketed out of the blocks with seven unanswered first-term goals, which arrived 35 seconds faster than they did against Richmond in last year's elimination final.

But the home side could manage only a single scoring shot in the final quarter as the reigning premiers slammed home 10 goals to three in the second half. They closed the margin to just eight points by the final siren and appeared set to overrun Port had the game lasted another few minutes. 

Power coach Ken Hinkley said it was naive to think his side could maintain the tempo it set in the opening term until the final siren.

"It was an outstanding first quarter of football against the best opposition you can play against," Hinkley said.

"We'd love to be able to do it for four quarters but it's nearly impossible."

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Power spearhead Jay Schulz was deadly in his 100th game for the club, booting five goals straight. 

Hawthorn won the inside 50 count 79 to Port's 43, something noted by Champion Data as the greatest differential ever recorded by a losing team.

The Power entered the game with a depleted midfield, losing Robbie Gray late in the week to a corked calf and Ollie Wines to a wrist injury last weekend. Yet their absence at stoppages was barely felt with Travis Boak, Brad Ebert, and Hamish Hartlett all dominant. 

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Boak's strength at the contest earned him the Peter Badcoe VC Medal.

Chad Wingard set the ball rolling with a typically classy left-foot snap, evading traffic to boot his side's and the game's first. But it was just a sign of things to come; before the Hawks could settle Jay Schulz had three majors to his name, Brian Lake had been subbed out with a knee injury and recruits Nathan Krakouer and Patrick Ryder had proved why they were such key acquisitions.

The Chad found just enough space to get @PAFC off to a great start! #AFLPowerHawks http://t.co/uylsAHuEy8

— AFL (@AFL) April 25, 2015

The inclusion of ruckman Matthew Lobbe allowed Ryder to spend far more time in attack, and after an influential first term the former Bomber continued to stamp his authority on the game with another goal in the second.

Josh Gibson and Matt Suckling tried to ignite the Hawks from defence but were being put under deep-sea pressure with the Power in complete command of tackling advantage.

Something spectacular was required of the reigning premiers to fight their way back into the contest and two long-range goals from Isaac Smith and Cyril Rioli certainly fitted the bill. 

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Losing small forward Paul Puoplo to a hamstring injury didn't' help their cause, but ever so gradually the Hawks pegged the margin back to a manageable number.

Smith had worked his way into the game, Jordan Lewis and Luke Hodge started to assert and, along with Taylor Duryea, were generating plenty of scoring opportunity.

Jack Gunston, Billy Hartung, Bradley Hill and Luke Breust all goaled to ensure a heart-stopping finish before Taylor Duryea reduced the margin to just over a kick.

But the siren sounded too soon, sealing the result of an incredible game in the Power's favor.

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said the Power were lucky early in front of goal, but their hardness at the football helped create that luck.

"We like to judge ourselves on is when the whips are cracking early in games who's playing the best football and to Port Adelaide's credit they were," he said.

"It's nearly being disparaging to them when I talk about them having a bit of luck in the early part of the game – they made their own luck by being really hard at the footy."

Nathan Krakouer shows Jack Gunston a clean pair of heels on Saturday night. Picture: AFL Media