Watch highlights from last time we played Adelaide on PTV above. Can’t see the video? Watch it on YouTube.
Port Adelaide faces the Crows in Balfours Showdown XXXIII on Saturday night in a massive game for both clubs as the Power looks to overcome its massive injury list and pull off a famous underdog victory.
The Teams
Port Adelaide
Form: W L L L L L L W W W L L L
Ranked: 13th
Adelaide
Form: W W L W W W W W L W W L W
Ranked: 5th
Keys to victory
Port Adelaide conceded the vast majority of goals to Geelong last week through turnovers. A crippling stat but one that can be reversed through improvements in the Power’s targeted kicking and ability to lock the football inside 50. These are facets of Port’s game that won it three straight through rounds 8 to 10 and provided lift to the Power’s season. Importantly, Port has been boosted through the significant inclusions of Travis Boak and Jacob Surjan to its battered. It will need to find its trademark Showdown spark to overcome the fancied Crows however.
Read more: Selection
Walking wounded
Port Adelaide is still left without its crucial leadership contingent of captain Dom Cassisi and other leaders Jay Schulz, Jackson Trengove and Hamish Hartlett. Matt Thomas is also serving his final game of a two match suspension for an incident against the Western Bulldogs prior to the mid season bye. In total, Port’s injury list stands at eight players - the majority of which consist of the Power’s best players.
A heated history
Port Adelaide and the Crows have a heated on-field rivalry stemming from the late 80s and early 90s when Port dominated in the SANFL - winning seven premierships between 1988 and its entry into the AFL in 1997. Port Adelaide currently leads the derby ledger 17 wins to 15 and will look to extend that on Saturday night. The Power won the first Balfours Showdown way back in 1997 with a famous victory over an established AFL Crows. 2012 also marks the ten-year anniversary of the infamous Ramsgate Hotel incident where players from both clubs had a physical run-in at a suburban hotel.
Listen now: Carr and Roo on the Showdown rivalry
The Key Match-ups
John Butcher and Justin Westhoff v Ben Rutten and Sam Shaw
After dominating Daniel Talia earlier in the year, Justin Westhoff faces a new Crow opponent in Sam Shaw for Balfours Showdown XXXIII. Westhoff is a former Showdown medallist and a player who matches up well for the Power in local derbies. A man who loves to stand up for the crosstown clashes, Westhoff needs to be Port’s key forward target in lieu of the injured Jay Schulz. John Butcher has been named at full forward as he tries to find the form that captured the imagination of the AFL at the end of 2011. Butcher remains Port’s tall X-Factor up forward and will be supported by smaller attackers Chad Wingard and Brett Ebert.
Travis Boak v Patrick Dangerfield
Travis Boak returns from injury this weekend and will play through the middle of the ground of key Crows midfielder Patrick Dangerfield. Both hailing from the same pocket of Victorian coastline, Boak will look to reassert himself on the field after battling through his foot complaint during the majority of 2012. Restraint free, Boak’s potential is well known and his explosive ability will be critical to the Power’s chances.
Brad Ebert and Matthew Broadbent v Scott Thompson and Nathan Van Berlo
This is the opportunity for both Ebert and Broadbent to announce themselves on the national stage as elite AFL footballers. The pair are old friends having grown up around the Port Adelaide Football Club and having played together at the Henley Sharks as children. Against Thompson and Van Berlo, this Showdown is a chance for the duo to make a statement in front of a large home crowd. Broadbent particularly was only just coming into his breakout form the last time Port played the Crows and is better for his consistent sub-20 possession performances through the middle stanza of 2012.
Matthew Lobbe v Sam Jacobs
With Brent Renouf out of the side, Matthew Lobbe is named as the Power’s sole ruckman for this weekend. Not one to be daunted by a challenge, Lobbe was impressive in Port’s loss to Geelong at Kardinia Park and is effective as a key ruck, and mobile forward. Against the Crows’ big man Sam Jacobs, Lobbe needs to play a strong game to cement himself as a first-choice ruckman in Port Adelaide’s starting 22. His sudden form spike returning from injury through the West Adelaide reserves to a starting ruckman highlights his potential to break the game open on Saturday night.
Alipate Carlile v Kurt Tippett
‘Bobby’ Carlile has a massive task on Crows full forward Kurt Tippett. Having shown his worth as a backman this year and having proved his fitness to be back in the Port Adelaide squad, Carlile’s shut down ability will be critical to stop Tippett having a big game in spite of the the absence of fellow key Crows players Taylor Walker and Jared Petrenko.
The ledger
Played: 32, Port Adelaide: 17, Adelaide: 15
The last time
Round 5, 2012 AAMI Stadium - Port Adelaide 14.7 (91) def by Adelaide 16.14 (110)
Match details
Balfours Showdown XXXIII
Port Adelaide v Adelaide
AAMI Stadium, West Lakes
Saturday 7 July 2012
Opening bounce: 7.10pm (SA time)
Game Day and Broadcast centre
Match centre
Final word
Opportunity beckons for Port Adelaide’s future stars to step up and take a famous underdog victory for their faithful supporters.
