Port Adelaide have produced the biggest comeback from three-quarter time in AFLW history to win an extraordinary semi-final against Hawthorn at Ikon Park on Saturday night.
Trailing by 22 points at the final break, the Power kicked 4.6 in the last term — winning on a behind — as the Hawks went out in straight sets from second on the ladder.
Port, who finished sixth on the ladder but have now won eight games in a row, move on to face minor premiers North Melbourne for a spot in the grand final.
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today
The Power kicked their four final-quarter goals without a response before Hawthorn took the lead back through Kaitlyn Ashmore with just two-and-a-half minutes remaining, and scores were level with 105 seconds to go when the Hawks decided to play it safe by rushing a behind.
Sachi Syme then kicked the match-winning behind, with her miss inadvertently helping Port in forcing Hawthorn to roll the dice on a long kick down the middle before the final siren sounded.
“Sheer disbelief in both camps,” Channel 7 commentator Jason Bennett said.
“Absolute devastation for the Hawks, jubilation for Port Adelaide. One of the great AFLW finals wins we’ve ever seen.”
Matilda Scholz, Abbey Dowrick and Gemma Houghton were enormous for the Power after they flicked the switch following one last push from coach Lauren Arnell.
“I don’t think we were really playing our footy much in the first three quarters,” Scholz told Channel 7 of the “insane” victory.
“Just give it all we’ve got, it might be our last quarter here so we did that and now we get another game.”
Arnell, moved by the celebrations, said she was “so proud” of the players and coaches.
“Our families give up everything for our people to play our game,” she said.
“We’ve been through so many tough times in our first two years.
“Just to see the players execute key moments, which have lost us games in the first two years of our existence, sometimes you’ve got to go through the hard stuff to get the good stuff.
“Sport’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?”
Echoing that growth sentiment, Hawthorn coach Daniel Webster said the devastation “needs to drive” his players next year.
“Shattered — 22 more inside 50s, four more scoring shots and lose another final, gutted,” he said.
“Obviously proud of the group and all the work that’s gone into it but we’re here to win games and didn’t do that. It’s going to hurt for a while, this one.
“When things get tough, you need to find that extra gear, and you need that motivation. And that’s the lesson we need to learn.
“To cough up a lead late in the game and get run over late, there’s big lessons there. I wanted us to learn some from last week and we might not have, for that last quarter especially.”
Port’s progression to the penultimate weekend leaves open the possibility of a Showdown grand final — however unlikely it may seem given North’s imperious form.
Adelaide defeated Fremantle earlier on Saturday to set up a battle with long-time rivals Brisbane in next weekend’s other preliminary final.
AFLW preliminary finals fixture
Saturday, November 23
North Melbourne v Port Adelaide — 3.05pm AEDT, Ikon Park
Brisbane v Adelaide — 6.30pm AEST / 7.30pm AEDT, Brighton Homes Arena