FAST starts might provide an explanation for Port Adelaide's fast finishes.
It plays like a horse with a smart jockey on top: bounce out of the gates, hold 'em up through the second and third sectionals and then sprint home.
Port Adelaide has become famous for its barnstorming final quarters in 2014, averaging a remarkable 15.8 inside 50s per final quarter each game and gaining, on average, 1584 metres.
It has a last-quarter percentage of 169 per cent.
But that quick run home is set up early in games.
Remove Port Adelaide's slow start in round one against Carlton from the equation and it has averaged 15.1 inside 50s in the first quarter, clearly its second best quarter – behind the last – for inside 50s.
Most importantly, Port Adelaide spends an average of 2:53 minutes longer inside its forward half in the first quarter per game compared to its opposition in 2014.
Although such ascendancy doesn't translate to scoring immediately, it still makes a difference to the final result.
That's because opposition defenders and midfielders use up vital petrol tickets during first quarters to keep Port Adelaide at bay.
By contrast, Port's defenders are able to rest at the edges of the zone, staying out of the fight for the football as they set up the wall.
In the six games Port Adelaide has led at quarter-time, its margin has been, on average, just 10 points.
But with the ball in the front half for the majority of the quarter, its opposition comes under enormous physical and mental pressure.
That was most evident against Fremantle in round eight when Port led by just seven points at quarter-time despite being in its forward half eight minutes longer than the Dockers.
It then rattled home in the last term, kicking five goals to two.
The outlier to the theory came in its only loss against North Melbourne in round three.
The Kangaroos absorbed the pressure early that day – it trailed 20-0 in the first quarter and spent six minutes less in its forward half – before turning things around in the second half and win.
The fact is, however, it's not only good last quarters making Port Adelaide dominant.
It picks up the pace a long way from home, having won every third quarter – long known as the premiership quarter – this season.
While Port Adelaide averages 2:53 minutes longer inside its forward half than its opposition in the opening stanza, it has been restricted to 193 points in the first quarter.
It's in the second half that the pressure pays off on the scoreboard.
In the third quarter it has scored 247 points, spending an average 29 seconds longer in the forward half. In the last, it has scored 257 points, spending an average 2:58 minutes longer in the forward half than the opposition.
Leading goalkicker Jay Schulz has kicked 12 of his 25 goals in the last quarter this season and just three in the first.
Port Adelaide also makes a habit of introducing its substitute at three-quarter time but keeps its rotations fairly constant, with higher rotations on average in the first half than the second.
Add that to a belief it can outrun its opponents and the Power just about becomes unstoppable.
Hawthorn will be a worthy opponent on Saturday night, as it prides itself on starting and finishing fast too, having won more last quarters last year than any other club.
So far this year, it has won six first quarters. The only two occasions the Hawks trailed at quarter-time, they lost.
Hawthorn has also won more second quarters than any other team in the competition, with seven, so it knows how to drive home an early ascendancy.
It’s pretty good late too, winning six of its final quarters. However in their two losses, the Hawks were overrun after holding a lead early in the final quarter.
Hawthorn ruckman David Hale acknowledged belief played a big part when it came to finishing with a flourish.
He suspected Port Adelaide had built that belief in recent times.
"They have obviously got belief that they can run over teams in the fourth quarter, similar to us last year," Hale said. "When you get into that position in games and you are still close you draw on what you have done in the past."
On Saturday night, the two best scoring teams go at it to establish both a mental edge and an edge on the ladder.
Although Port Adelaide's tempo football will face its stiffest challenge yet, Hawthorn knows it won't yield.
"They have a lot of young guys with a lot of energy and excitement," Hale said.
Stats supplied by Champion Data
