Retiring Port Adelaide legend Travis Boak won the toss and elected to kick to the River end at Adelaide Oval, before starting in the centre square on Gold Coast gun Matt Rowell.
Boak plays his 387th and last game tonight – the seventh most in VFL/AFL history, while Ken Hinkley will coach the Power for a club record-extending 297th and final time.
A big No.10 banner is hanging next to the big screen behind the northern end to pay homage to Boak, who ran through the banner first, flanked by his leadership successors Connor Rozee and Zak Butters.
Power star Travis Boak runs on to an AFL ground for the final time as a player.Credit: Getty Images
Hinkley, who described himself as an “emotional prick” when interviewed by Fox Footy pre-game, paid tribute to the great Boak, who famously resisted the overtures of Geelong way back in 2012.
“People shouldn’t undersell that he is the reason this football club is here,” Hinkley said.
“He made a decision (to stay with the Power) which made sure this footy club lives on.
“We should be forever indebted to him.
“He is absolutely everything to Port Adelaide.
“For the Power, tonight is about saying thank you and farewell for past deeds. For the Suns, the immediate future is everything.”