Footy Park Flashbacks #1: 2004 Preliminary Final, Port Adelaide v St Kilda
Find out what our supporters' favourite moment at Football Park is as we reveal the number one Footy Park Flashback.
www.portadelaidefc.com.auThe 2004 AFL Preliminary Final between Port Adelaide and St Kilda was a thrilling match at AAMI Stadium (then Football Park), where Port won 14.10 (94) to 13.10 (88), securing their first-ever Grand Final appearance, which they went on to win.[1][4]
Key Moments
Fraser Gehrig's early goal for St Kilda marked his 100th of the season, sparking a fan invasion that halted play and allowed Port to regroup, trailing by just five points at quarter time. The game stayed tight with goals traded across quarters, but Port took the lead via a long punt from Toby Thurstans, followed by Gavin Wanganeen's clutch snapped goal from a boundary throw-in. Shaun Burgoyne's diving smother on Brent Guerra's shot sealed the victory in the final seconds.[2][3][6][7][1]
Recent Coverage
No major new developments have emerged in 2026 about this 2004 classic; coverage largely recycles nostalgic retrospectives, like Port Adelaide's 2020 video highlights and a 2023 YouTube upload calling it one of the best finals ever. AFL.com.au revisited Wanganeen's heroics in a 2020 "What Really Happened" series, crediting coach Mark Williams' halftime spray.[9][10][2]