2001 Grand Final (What They Can Do Next Week)

The  2001 AFL Grand Final  was an  Australian rules football  game contested between the Port Adelaide Football Club and the Hawthorn Football Club held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to determine the premiers of the 2001 AFL season. Held on the 29 September 2001, the match was attended by 90,133 spectators, and was won by Port Adelaide by 37 points, marking the club's first premiership.

Background
Following the 2001 grand final, the premiers fell from the top 4, ending up in 6th position. To fill the power gap, Hawthorn won all put three games in the season and finished as minor premier. The grand final was Hawthorn's first since the 1991 Grand Final a decade earlier. Port Adelaide on the other hand were entering after finishing 2nd on the ladder, and they were going into their first Grand Final since the clubs introduction into the AFL in 1997.

In the 2001 finals series, Hawthorn defeated a fourth placed Brisbane team by 40 points in the first quater final, before defeating the sixth placed Western Bulldogs two weeks later in the preliminary final. Port Adelaide earnt their way to the Grand Final after defeating the third placed Sydney in a close game, winning by 3 points, before defeating Brisbane in the second preliminary final.

The coaches of both teams were well known, as both Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams (playing for Collingwood and later, the Brisbane Bears) and Hawthorn Coach Peter Schwab (playing for Hawthorn) fought against each other during the Hawthorn heyday of the 1980's.

Match Summary
After winning the toss, Port Adelaide started the game well, and after a 2 goal lead early in the first quarter, followed by a brief comeback by Hawthorn which saw Ben Dixon kick 3 goals, winning them the quarter. Port Adelaide rebounded in the 2nd quarter however, led by captain Matthew Primus. The club took a 19 point lead going into the second half, thus ensuring psychological dominance.

After what looked like a small comeback in the third quarter, Hawthorn fell behind the fast playing Port Adelaide, and after trailing by 35 at the last change, Hawthorn lost, 89 to 126.

Josh Carr was awarded the Norm Smith medal after being judged best on ground with 2 goals and 37 disposals. On Hawthorns side, Ben Dixon was best giving a 5 goal 31 disposal performance.

The 2001 grand final would be the first of three for the Port Adelaide side, and as for Hawthorn, the 2001 grand final would be their last, having not made a grand final since.