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"Not today, I'm going to do something about this." The message Port Adelaide are sending to the league is clear. Port Adelaide have made AFLW history, recording the biggest ever comeback from a three-quarter time deficit to win, and sealed a place in their first ever preliminary final. A journey from bottom four to a resounding finals campaign is only just being unearthed as they reap the rewards of consistent improvement and determination. Having only joined the competition in the most recent wave of "expansion sides" to complete the league with a full 18 teams, the former cellar-dwellers silenced Hawthorn, the runners-up of the home and away season, with a 22-point comeback and one more behind to seal the game.  It was 12 clearances in a row to start the fourth quarter, some positional changes which saw a quiet performance from Abbey Dowrick turn into a two-goal game, and ruck Matilda Scholz go "to a whole new level". Youngster Sachi Syme has been in the backline for most of the year but was thrown forward in the final term with coach Lauren Arnell saying: "mate, can you jump forward and play a defensive role for us", which saw her kick the point which saw them advance into the final four. "The first two years of us being in this competition has been the best preparation for us," Arnell said of the history-making win. "There's so much learning for our crew and so much belief off the back of some really hard times, and that's the beauty of sport... once you go through some pretty tough stuff and learn the lessons that you need to you get onto the good end and it feels like that right now.  "We've had players who at different times throughout the season have had an attitude of 'not today, I'm going to do something about this'." In just their third season, under the guidance of Arnell, they've gone from 17th on the ladder with one win (and one draw) in their first season, to 15th with two wins and a draw -- this season they have clocked eight wins in a row, finished sixth on the ladder and will continue their maiden finals campaign with a preliminary final this weekend. Their story is full of grit from all angles. Even Arnell (the first former player to hold the title) hadn't coached a senior side before being placed at the helm of the Power. Arnell came across from the Brisbane Lions, where she finished her playing career with a premiership, and subsequently spent two years as head coach of the Brisbane Lions Academy. However, the former teacher has footy etched into her veins, having been Carlton's inaugural AFLW captain and having won nine VFLW grand finals with the Darebin Falcons. Maybe it's this grassroots experience that has seen her lead the side into a wildly more successful trajectory in their third year. "There's been enormous growth for everyone in our team and I just keep challenging them, how much better can we get every week and we've seen another performance where we can execute small moments where we haven't been able to... and probably rightly so, we've only played 33 games of footy together," Arnell said. Port Adelaide will face minor premiers North Melbourne at 3.05pm on Saturday at Ikon Park, Melbourne.
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