Suns' finals up in air as Power farewell Ken, Boak with win

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Gold Coast faces a do-or-die clash against Essendon to play finals after shock loss to Port Adelaide

Mitch Georgiades and Travis Boak during the round 24 match between Port Adelaide and Gold Coast at Adelaide Oval, August 22, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

GOLD Coast's finals hopes hang by a thread after suffering an upset four-point loss to an emotion-charged Port Adelaide on Friday night.

The Power farewelled departing coach Ken Hinkley and retiring great Travis Boak with a 10.11 (71) to 9.13 (67) victory in an Adelaide Oval thriller.

POWER v SUNS Full match coverage and stats

The result leaves the Suns needing to beat Essendon on Wednesday in the last home-and-away game of the season to secure a maiden finals berth.

Gold Coast blew a chance to book a playoff spot on when overwhelmed by the Power in the second half.

The Suns led by 15 points at the long break, but Port booted six goals to three through the third and fourth quarters to seal the stirring win.

Boak finishes his esteemed career on 387 matches - only six players have featured more in VFL/AFL history than Port's beloved former captain and games record holder.

Hinkley's 13-year tenure spanned 297 premiership season games including seven finals campaigns.

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Power assistant Josh Carr will take over from Hinkley, whose final season at the helm returned nine wins and 14 losses for 13th spot on the ladder ahead of weekend games.

Port kept pace with the visitors early mainly due to inaccuracy from the ninth-placed Suns, who led 3.6 to 2.2 at quarter-time.

Gold Coast increased its lead to 15 points at half-time, 6.10 to 4.7, but the Power then hit back.

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Port rallied with four goals to one in the third term for a six-point advantage at three-quarter time.

The Suns' Ben King put his side one point ahead early in the last term before Port's Mitch Georgiades put an exclamation point on his breakout season, booting the next two goals to create a 12-point break.

Suns forward Jy Farrar reduced the deficit to six with as many minutes left, but the visitors could manage only two more behinds.

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The Power's 40,897-strong crowd then gave Boak and Hinkley a joyous send-off.

The 37-year-old Boak collected 22 disposals, including 17 in the first half, in his swansong, captain Connor Rozee (34 touches, one goal) was outstanding, as was his deputy Zak Butters (35 possessions).

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And the match-winning Georgiades completed his stellar year with a four-goal haul for a season tally of 58.

Gold Coast half-back John Noble and Brayden Fiorini gathered 27 disposals each while Matt Rowell, skipper Noah Anderson and Wil Powell each logged 21 touches.

Suns forwards King and Ben Long kicked three goals apiece and Farrar scored two.

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First of Mani

Mid-season draftee Mani Liddy was a cult figure the moment he pulled on a Port Adelaide jumper to complement his one-of-a-kind leg sleeve. But it took till game eight before the 23-year-old midfielder slotted his first goal, a moment celebrated by player, teammates, fans and coach alike. Liddy finished the game with 17 disposals and showed he has plenty of top-level football ahead, while fellow mid-season draftee Ewan Mackinlay also kicked his maiden goal.

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Another 10 out of 10 for number 10

It may have been game 387 and the last time he’ll grace an AFL field, but Travis Boak went out in style. The 37-year-old wasn’t just making up the numbers on Friday night, finishing with 22 disposals and a game-high nine tackles in a performance that could see him pick up a Brownlow vote in his final match. Whether the umpires recognise him will wait to be seen, but the Port Adelaide crowd cheered his every possession throughout the game in what was a perfect send-off in every respect.

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PORT ADELAIDE 2.2 4.7 8.10 10.11 (71)

GOLD COAST 3.6 6.10 7.10 9.13 (67)

GOALS

Port Adelaide: Georgiades 4, Whitlock, Rozee, Richards, Mackinlay, Lord, Liddy

Gold Coast: Long 3, King 3, Farrar 2, Read

BEST

Port Adelaide: Rozee, Butters, Georgiades, Boak, Byrne-Jones

Gold Coast: Noble, Miller, Long, Uhland, Fiorini

INJURIES

Port Adelaide: Lord (TBC)

Gold Coast: TBC

SUBSTITUTES

Port Adelaide: Rory Atkins, replaced Jackson Mead (tactical) at three-quarter time

Gold Coast: Sam Flanders, replaced Joel Jeffrey (tactical) in the third quarter

Crowd: 40,897 at Adelaide Oval

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