The Hawks' 19.6 (120) to 7.14 (56) victory at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night gives new coach Sam Mitchell consecutive wins to start his tenure.

 

And it puts Port Adelaide, rated by most pundits as a flag fancy, in early-season strife with successive defeats.

 

Lewis was well supported by veteran forwards Jack Gunston and Luke Breust who booted three each for the sharp-shooting Hawks, the side slotting 13 goals without a miss from set shots.

 

Another pair of Hawks scored two goals apiece: Dylan Moore, who was involved in nine of his side's scores, and Chad Wingard, who was substituted out at half-time because of a hamstring injury.

 

Hawthorn's Brownlow medallist Tom Mitchell (28 disposals), James Worpel (six inside 50s) and Jack Scrimshaw (22 touches) were other standouts.

 

And the Hawks’ defence, marshalled by James Sicily (seven marks, 20 disposals) and Jack Frost, was downright miserly on a bleak night for the Power.

 

Port utility Sam Powell-Pepper scored three goals - all in the third term - and the home side had the top four ball-winners on the ground in Travis Boak (39 disposals), Karl Amon (39), Ollie Wines (36) and Zak Butters (29).

 

But Hawthorn was never headed after keeping the Power goalless in the first term to craft a 3.2 to 0.3 lead at quarter-time.

 

The Hawks extended their advantage to 28 points at half-time after rallying when Port snuck within nine points - the closest the home side could get thereafter.

 

The second quarter was book-ended by remarkable snapped goals from Gunston.

 

The veteran Hawk slotted one early with a curling right-footer near the boundary line, and threaded another late with a left-footer from an acute angle near the opposite boundary.

 

Hawthorn's 8.4 to 3.6 half-time advantage belied key statistics.

 

Port had a 73 more disposals, three more entries into their attacking 50 metre zone, more tackles, marks and clearances - and the top five disposal-getters in the half.

 

But the Power's concerns turned into outright alarm in a third term dominated by Hawthorn spearhead Lewis - the 38-gamer booted four goals in a 28-minute purple patch.

 

The Hawks scored six goals in the quarter and were 44 points up before two late strikes from Port's Powell-Pepper reduced their lead to 36 points at the last change.

 

Hawthorn then kept their hosts goalless again in the final quarter while kicking another five, with Port's woes compounded by full-back Trent McKenzie being subbed out with a suspected ankle injury.

 

Hawks got their rare early draft pick very right
When you're winning flags you don't get many top-10 picks at the draft, so when Hawthorn's selection committee called Josh Ward's name at pick seven last year it was an unusual experience for everyone at the table. But they got it right. Ward impressed over the summer and looked at home in round one, but on Saturday night the 18 year old showed he's not happy just getting a game, he wants to influence them. Ward had no trouble getting his hands on the ball and wasn't afraid of any incoming physical pressure. His goal in the third quarter was a ripper, but one can't help feeling it's just a tiny taste of what's to come.

 

Saturday night's clash was the Power's first at Adelaide Oval since their preliminary final loss, but it was also the first since the death of Port Adelaide great Russell Ebert in November last year. Ebert's only VFL/AFL experience was with North Melbourne in 1979, but he holds Port's SANFL club record of 392 games, was captain for eight years, won six club best and fairest awards and four Margarey Medals. The club used the round two home game to remember its greatest son with all players wearing Ebert's number 7 on the front of their jumpers, while the current wearer of the number, Xavier Duursma, chose to 'retire' the guernsey for the night and wore 50 on his back.

 

The kids are better than alright
The Hawks' 28-point lead at half-time was a reflection of a team only too prepared to back itself and have fun in the process. With little expectation this year giving Mitchell time to set lasting practices in place, we could be witnessing the building of the foundations of yet another brown and gold dynasty.

 

PORT ADELAIDE   0.3    3.6     7.10    7.14 (56)

 

HAWTHORN          3.2    8.4    14.4    19.6 (120)GOALS

 

Port Adelaide: Powell-Pepper 3, Houston, Lycett, Motlop, Rozee

 

Hawthorn: Lewis 5, Gunston 3, Breust 3, Moore 2, Wingard 2, Macdonald, Nash, Newcombe, Ward

 

Port Adelaide: Boak, Powell-Pepper, Amon, Butters, Wines
Hawthorn: Lewis, Sicily, O'Meara, Mitchell, Ward, Gunston

 

 

Port Adelaide: McKenzie (ankle)
Hawthorn: Chad Wingard (hamstring)

 

SUBSTITUTES
Port Adelaide: Jackson Mead, replaced Trent McKenzie in the third quarter.
Hawthorn: Tom Phillips, replaced Chad Wingard in the third quarterCrowd: 30,267 at Adelaide Oval