EVERY match is a new challenge for Port Adelaide: win and you keep living for September, lose and the door slams shut. The next challenge on the Power's list is St Kilda at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday...
OPPOSING FORCES
PORT ADELAIDE
LAST MATCH: Round 17: Port Adelaide 20.9 (129) def Essendon 17.14 (116)
ST KILDA
LAST MATCH: Round 17: St Kilda 12.11 (83) def Melbourne 6.10 (46)
HEAD TO HEAD
Port Adelaide 15 v 10 St Kilda
LAST FIVE
Port Adelaide 3 v 2 St Kilda
THIS YEAR
Port Adelaide LLWWWLLLWWLLLWLW v LWLLLWLLWLWLWLW St Kilda
PLAYBILL
Round 18
Port Adelaide v St Kilda
Adelaide Oval
Sunday 2 August
First Bounce: 12:40pm (SA time) / 12:50pm (EST) / 11:10pm (AWST)
Hashtags: #AFLPowerSaints
Broadcast: Channel 7 (SA), Fox Footy (national), FIVEaa (SA)
YOU’RE INVITED
Pre-Match Events
March from the Mall
Gawler Place Canopy, Cnr Rundle Mall and Gawler Place
March starts: 11:20am
March arrives: 11:40am
Other exciting events and supporter activities situated in the Southern and Eastern Plazas of the Adelaide Oval.
Power Playground is located in the Eastern Plaza
Post Match Function
William Magarey Room
Level 3, Riverbank Stand
Adelaide Oval
All welcome, selected players and officials in attendance.
TIME MACHINE
Round 12, 2014: Wingard takes Mark of the Year contender in Port’s 70 point win over the Saints at the Adelaide Oval, in the first match since Richardson became coach of St Kilda.
PORT ADELAIDE 4.3 7.6 13.10 19.15 (129)
ST KILDA 2.2 4.5 5.5 9.5 (59)
Best: R.Gray, Lobbe, Hartlett, Wines, Impey, Pittard
Goals: R.Gray 4, Wingrd, Schulz 3, Polec, Lobbe, Trengove, Hartlett, Impey, Westhoff, Pittard, Cassisi, Ebert
at the Adelaide Oval
FOUR QUARTERS
THE STAKES
With Port Adelaide sitting 12th on the ladder, much depends on the results of other games around the league as to where it can finish, but last week's win against Essendon keeps the Power's finals chances alive. The stakes are as high as ever to keep the momentum going, while St Kilda are looking to continue their upward trend in the second half of the year.
THE STOCKS
Jasper Pittard returns from the ankle injury that sidelined him from the last two games, while Sam Gray comes into the side on the back of solid form. Meantime St Kilda have lost three players from their team, including Nick Riewoldt, and welcome the return of ruck-forward Tom Hickey.
THE HISTORY
The last time these two sides met was round 12 last year - a 70-point thrashing where Robbie Gray kicked four goals and Chad Wingard took Mark of the Year. The two contests before also went Port’s way, but were much closer affairs with margins of four and five points.
THE VIBE
Port Adelaide’s finals hopes are alive for another week. It remains do-or-die on Sunday afternoon.
