Port Adelaide has produced a stirring eight-point win over Hawthorn at AAMI Stadium on Saturday in a determined performance, battling to give caretaker coach Matthew Primus consecutive victories in only his third game in charge.

Emotionally charged from last week's Showdown win, the Power backed up in stunning fashion, upsetting the Hawks, whose top four aspirations appear dashed.

The Power booted the first two goals of the game in the first couple of minutes but the Hawks fought back and led for the majority of the afternoon.

Port regained the lead 16 minutes into the last quarter for the first time since the 15-minute mark in the opening term.

Dean Brogan was outstanding and inspirational finishing the day with 33 hit-outs, almost double his opponent. The vice-captain collected 18 touches and had three clearances, but the competitive, 'never say die' attitude shone through helping the Power over the line in the last quarter.

Brogan played around 90 percent of the match and spent most of that time in the ruck in an epic personal display.

Kane Cornes was also brilliant for the Power keeping Luke Hodge to just 18 touches, limiting his effect on the match, while racking up a game-high 23 possessions.

Robbie Gray played a fair part of the afternoon through the middle for the Power proving he is on his way to full fitness and collected 22 disposals.

Danyle Pearce also played an important role booting two match-turning goals in the final term as well as ending the day on 19 touches and six clearances.

Brad Sewell was the visitors' best with 23 possessions while Cyril Rioli was damaging early in the match. The speedster collected 22 possessions but was deadly clearing the lines for Hawthorn with four clearances.

Captain Sam Mitchell also had 22 touches and a goal.

The Power flew out of the blocks with two goals inside the opening two minutes courtesy of Jay Schulz and Daniel Stewart.

Both tall forwards converted set shots from inside 50m, after strong leads and marks. Stewart was a huge presence for Port Adelaide up forward taking four marks in the opening term.

Michael Osborne, Xavier Ellis and Brent Renouf all got on the score sheet for the Hawks while Cyril Rioli exposed the Power's zone and waltzed into an open goal.

Hawthorn appeared to have lifted its intensity in the second quarter but Port was equal to the task. Kane Cornes held Luke Hodge to 10 disposals at the main break.

Port's defence was solid with Alipate Carlile, Troy Chaplin, Nick Salter and Jackson Trengove sharing the load, restricting Lance Franklin to 7 possessions and 1.1 at half time while Jarryd Roughead could only manage two behinds.

Cassisi broke a tackle after collecting his own clearance from a stoppage and snapped a goal from 40 metres while his opposite number Mitchell was just as inspirational for the Hawks kicking around his body from on the arc and watching it bounce through.

Brett Ebert and Justin Westhoff marked and goaled for the Power either side of David Rodan's classy major on the run from 50 metres as Port clocked up seven individual goal kickers by the start of the third term.

Renouf got his second while Clinton Young's first came after a tough passage of play where both sides laid ferocious tackles that saw bodies crashing in hard.

Port had the chance to reduce the margin back to six points early in the third term but Robbie Gray hit the post on the run from outside the arc with Schulz unmarked in the goal square before Ebert also hit the woodwork from 30 metres out.

Franklin's second came after receiving a handball 10metres out from a two-on-one situation but his third was another for the highlight reel dribbling one in from the boundary.

After the Hawks hit a match-high 18-point lead midway through the premiership quarter Schulz hit back with two strong marks and goals to bring the deficit back to a kick.

Grant Birchall had the final say for the visitors with a goal seconds before the three-quarter-time siren as an all-in-melee broke out in the centre square.

Danyle Pearce brought the scores level early in the last term after two goals in a minute and midway through the fourth quarter Port had the lead for the first time since the 17 minute mark in the opening term.

Roughead's first for the afternoon kept Hawthorn in the contest but Port's determination and persistence paid off and when Schulz booted his forth, consecutive victories for the Power looked imminent.

Stewart's second all but sealed the result, although there were a few anxious final moments.

PORT ADELAIDE: 3.3 7.6 9.9 13.14 (94)
HAWTHORN: 4.2 8.6 11.8 12.12 (82)
GOALS: PORT ADELAIDE: Schulz 4, Pearce 2, D. Stewart 2, Hitchock, Cassisi, Ebert, Rodan, Westhoff
HAWTHORN: Franklin 3, Renouf 2, Osborne, Rioli, Ellis, Mitchell, Young, Birchall, Roughead
BEST: PORT ADELAIDE: Brogan, Gray, Cornes, Pearce, Rodan, Cassisi
HAWTHORN: Sewell, Mitchell, Rioli
INJURIES: PORT ADELAIDE:
HAWTHORN: Nil
REPORTS:Nil
CHANGES: PORT: Matt Thomas, replaced in selected side by Danny Meyer
UMPIRES: Stuart, Ryan, Bowen
CROWD: 22, 340 at AAMI Stadium