PORT ADELAIDE star Robbie Gray says he has been looking forward to Saturday’s Showdown since the AFL fixture was released, but the side’s current form has given him extra reason to be pumped up about running out against the Crows.
Gray has been among the Power’s best since playing his first game in Round 2, after completing a suspension he attracted in the JLT Community Series.
Saturday’s Round 8 match-up against the Crows will be the longest the sides have waited in a season to face each other in the 44th instalment of the battle for state supremacy.
“It’s certainly the one you have a look at the fixture at the start of the year and see when it is you play the cross-town rivals,” said Gray on radio station RSN’s Breakfast Club program.
“It doesn’t really matter where you are on the ladder or the form guide and you always look forward to getting into it.
“You try and keep the week as normal as possible in terms of how you prepare for it but there’s certainly more riding on it.
“Certainly walking around the streets of Adelaide in the week leading up to the game everyone’s excited and we know it’s going to be a huge crowd.”
The Power comes into the game off the back of a disappointing loss to West Coast in Perth in which their performance in the contest was questioned.
It also has a five-game losing streak against Adelaide to overcome, a fact Gray said coach Ken Hinkley had reminded the players of.
“Ken is up and about and excited and he’s just sick of losing to the Crows – as we all are,” Gray said.
“We need a really strong performance this week, and there’s no doubt that Kenny is up and about.”
More on portadelaidefc.com.au...
