PORT Adelaide's slow start to Showdown XXII cost it dearly as the Crows scored a 24-point win at AAMI Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Mirroring the strategy used to defeat the speedy Bulldogs last week, the Crows slotted the day's first three goals and headed off a third-term Power charge to win 13.9 (87) to 8.15 (63) in front of 36,959 people - the smallest crowd in Showdown history.
Port's misery was compounded by an ankle injury to ruckman Dean Brogan, who limped off in the second quarter and didn't return.
Port Adelaide stayed in the contest for three quarters through the efforts of Chad Cornes, the Burgoyne brothers and Brendon Lade, though Shaun Burgoyne will rue kicking four behinds before registering his side's first goal for the match.
Backline sweeper Andrew McLeod was again outstanding for Adelaide to win the Showdown medal for best afield, while Martin Mattner, Nathan Bassett, Scott Thompson, Brent Reilly and Ben Hudson all had an influence.
Ben Rutten continued his dominance over Warren Tredrea in the Port captain's comeback match, restricting Tredrea to one goal.
Adelaide's tall forward line of Scott Welsh (four goals), Ian Perrie (three), Scott Stevens (two) and Nathan Bock (one) stretched Port, which missed omitted defender Troy Chaplin.
Both sides suffered important omissions prior to the bounce. Crows forward Matthew Bode was absent due to leg soreness while Power speedster Danyle Pearce was unable to shake off a sore hamstring.
There were a few surprises when the teams matched up, with Mattner given the job of minding Brett Ebert, while Stevens lined up on the Adelaide's forward line.
He provide one of several important attacking options as the Crows skipped to an early lead, then held on late in the first term.
Mark Williams' prediction that Adelaide would attempt to block Port's running game was well-founded with the Power facing a defensive flood whenever they moved forward.
The Power lacked composure in front of goal as they tried to attack through traffic, leading to a 3.10 half-time ledger.
"When we went inside 50 they probably had nine players in there, which meant we were either kicking from a long way out or were under pressure to make decisions," Williams said.
"We appreciate what they were trying to do but they did it better than our plans to counter-act that.
"They've done it before to us, they tried to do it in round 21 last year and we dealt with it better, and we need to continually work on it.
"You need to be more productive than we were today, we probably dropped about five marks inside 50 that given the circumstances, you have to take those chances."
By contrast, the Crows were able to break cleanly on numerous occasions – more often than not via McLeod – and quality disposal afforded opportunities to build a 23-point lead at the main break.
Adelaide's strangulation tactics required plenty of hard running and the Crows appeared to tire as the final change neared, allowing Port Adelaide to close the gap to 14 points.
Tredrea was then denied what appeared a clear mark within range of goal inside the first minute of the final term and the Power seemed deflated from that point.
ADELAIDE 3.3 8.3 10.7 13.9 (87)
PORT ADELAIDE 0.6 3.10 7.11 8.15 (63)
Goals: Port Adelaide: B Lade 2 W Tredrea S Salopek S Burgoyne J Surjan N Krakouer B Ebert. Adelaide: S Welsh 4 I Perrie 3 S Stevens 2 B Reilly J Porplyzia N Bock B Burton.
Best: Port Adelaide: P Burgoyne B Lade C Cornes S Burgoyne S Salopek. Adelaide: A McLeod M Mattner N Bassett B Hudson S Thompson B Reilly B Rutten.
Injuries
Adelaide: M Bode (leg soreness) replaced in selected side by B Vince.
Port Adelaide: D Pearce (sore hamstring) replaced in selected side by T Logan, D Brogan (sprained ankle).
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: M Head R Chamberlain S Ryan.
Official crowd: 36,959 at AAMI Stadium.
