Belligerents
PORT ADELAIDEYear to date: LWWWWWWWL
Last five at ground: LWWLL
Currently ranked: 1st
STURT
Year to date: WWWLWLWWWLW
Last five at ground: WLWWL
Currently ranked: 2nd
HEAD TO HEAD
Magpies 185 v 100 Double Blues
LAST FIVE
Magpies 1 v 4 Double Blues
PLAYBILL
SANFL IGA League – Round 12Sturt v Port Adelaide
Saturday 28 June
First bounce: 2:10pm
Academy: 11:25am
Hashtags: #sturtport
Broadcast: 7mate (Channel 73)
Tickets: $14 general admission, $8 concession, children under 18 years free
BUY MAGPIES MEMBERSHIP
TIME MACHINE
Round 6, 2014.PORT ADELAIDE 6.5 11.6 17.11 19.12 (126)
STURT 2.1 6.3 8.5 11.10 (76)
portadelaidefc.com.au's best: Summerton, Newton, Biemans, O'Shea, Clurey, Moore, Byrne-Jones
Goals: Butcher, Biemans 3, Harvey, Summerton, Stewart, Moore 2, S. Gray, Neade, Ah Chee, Haren, Bruggemann
at Alberton Oval
FOUR POINTS
Bleeding MagpiesThe Bloods became just the second team to beat the Magpies this season with an impressive performance at Richmond Oval. Port Adelaide failed to take advantage of the significant breeze when kicking with its assistance and it meant the Bloods would always be able to kick a damaging score when they had the wind. But that opportune kicking wasn't the sole reason West claimed the win. They dominated possessions to win the disposal count by 88, out marked by 42, matched the Magpies for inside 50 entries and dominated at throw ins and centre bounces. It goes to show any team on their game will be able to challenge for a win, and the top-placed Magpies can't afford to be complacent...
It's a game of four quarters
Just as Port Adelaide can't be complacent against sides in the bottom five, it can ill-afford to let an inform Sturt get on top of it early this weekend. The Magpies have made fast starts their trademark, the converse of that has been the way it has let sides back into the game after quarter time. Granted, it was able to run out a 50-point advantage by the end of its last game against Sturt, but the Double Blues have been in very good form of late, and the Maggies have an average record against them at Unley.
Slatts (and co) back
Henry Slattery will be available for selection this week after serving a five-match ban for rough conduct, ironically against Sturt in May. If selected, he'll add valuable experience into the side. Meantime, the Magpies may also welcome a handful of names back into the side if Dom Cassisi, Jarman Impey and Hamish Hartlett are cleared for their return to football. It could see a substantial shake up to the team that lost to the Bloods last week.
Split Round Saturday
This Saturday's game is Port Adelaide's last before a one-week bye as part of the SANFL's split round. The Magpies will then play North Adelaide at Alberton before a league-wide bye and then resume footy against the Crows in late July. So while there's plenty of opportunity to rest up over the next month, the Magpies will need to ensure they work hard in the wet at Unley Oval. Needless to say, with six games left in one of the most even seasons in recent memory, and every club still a mathematical possibility to finish in the top five, no team can afford to slip up.
