AS Port Adelaide prepares to take on Woodville-West Torrens, three-time premiership captain Tim Ginever reflected on his favourite of his seven premierships, the 1994 triumph against the Eagles.

The Magpies went into the game as underdogs, especially after going down to the Eagles by 73-points in the semi-final just a fortnight earlier.

Looking back at the build-up between the two sides, Ginever said the rivalry started with the merger that saw the Eagles formed.

“When Woodville and West Torrens merged at the end of 1990, and came into the comp, they were sort of instantly good,” Ginever told portadelaidefc.com.au

“I remember in '92, I think we knocked them out in the second semi-final, but you could see that they were building and then '93 we went into the second semi and probably mildly favourite, given our experience, and they absolutely smacked us.

“I remember having a few arguments with a few blokes that day threatening to come back in a couple of weeks’ time and we didn't get there.

“We got beaten in the prelim and Norwood then went through and the Eagles absolutely whacked them in that game.

“Wayne Weidemann was particularly outstanding on that day and they won the flag in '93. It was a pretty good result in their third season being able to go that well.

“I think they finished third in '92 and premiers in 93 and they were so good at that stage that they rolled into '94 with some real momentum and were clearly the best team in the minor round.”

The Eagles finished as minor premiers in 1994 by three games with an 18-4 record.

The Magpies were behind them in second with a 15-7 record.

“They absolutely dominated that year and didn't lose many in the season,” Ginever said.

“We had a bad middle of the season and then towards the finals, we ended up winning eight-in-a-row including the last minor round game, when we played them at Alberton Oval, and we touched them up pretty good there. That gave us a bit of confidence, but we lost the second semi by 12 goals.”

The Eagles were heavy favourites on an overcast and wet day with slippery conditions underfoot.

Ginever recalled thinking it was going to be a “tough day at the office”.

“I didn't realise how tough it was going to be until about 25 minutes in when we were behind six goals to zip,” he said.

“I remember distinctly thinking it was a disaster.

“I remember looking at the scoreboard thinking I hope we kick more than 1.8 - I was actually thinking about the disaster of 1989 when we were on the good end of that.”

Port Adelaide trailed by as much as 37 points deep in the first quarter before hitting back with a couple of late goals to trail by 25 points at the first change.

While the historical final quarter comeback is often referenced, Ginever says the story is mainly in the opening three quarters.

“It is that build up and that moment that in the first quarter when we have a bit of an argument and I get into a dust-up and get the free kick and we get the first goal, that just settled us down and we got the immediate goal straight out of the centre,” he explained.

“Scotty Hodges took a terrific one-handed mark and because of the melee prior, they gave a 50 metre penalty away by hitting Scotty in the head straight after he marked, and even though you felt like they had an incredible start, we felt a bit more relaxed at quarter-time.

“It's not as bad, it's only 25 points now, not 37, and then come into half-time we hadn't made any ground, but we felt like we were in an absolute cracking grand final battle.

“At half-time even though no difference on the on the scoreboard, we felt while we're in this battle, and I think the third quarter, which was one of the toughest quarters I know I've played in for the bash and crash that was going on, I felt like we got the momentum.

“We come into that break and we were up and about, I felt while we were finals toughened, because we went through three finals to get there and they'd played one game in a month, so I told the boys that and it turned out that way, we were so well drilled by then in finals footy.”

The Magpies trailed by two goals at the final break, but the final quarter was mayhem as they took the game by the scruff of the neck.

“That last quarter, 10 minutes in and it's out of control,” Ginever said.

“Tony Malakellis snaps this goal, and I can remember everyone's going ballistic.

“I thought we still had a chance of winning, there's plenty of time on the clock, and I was trying to calm the boys saying we've got to get back on the job.

“But they were so out of control, and the momentum was so strong. I said, 'ah bugger it, do whatever you want'.

“You couldn't stop it. I remember Rohan Smith and I were talking on the field and he said, ‘I can't, I can't hear ya’, and I was saying ‘I don't know, I can't hear you.’ The noise was so great.

“Port Adelaide fans had just gone ballistic. And, you know, we're on the verge of winning the second AFL licence as well, so it's so important to perform.”

Forward Scott Hodges was one of many heroes on the day, as he slotted five final quarter goals to carry the Pies home.

“Scotty for me, he still did all the one-percenters for three quarters, but he just hadn't got the score on the board, but he chased, he tackled and did all the things that you want your forwards to do,” he said.

“He got the reward in the last quarter and when he ran down Jason Spehr holding the ball in the last quarter inside 50, it was just so awe inspiring to see that effort.

“He goes back, gets his reward again, it was just amazing but he's such a big game performer. He was outstanding in finals and that was one of them.”

As Port Adelaide prepares to tackle the Eagles on Sunday, it will again be coming up against a reigning premier and there will again be a Weidemann on the field – this time Wayne’s son Jake Weidemann in the Magpies’ black and white.

Sunday’s game at Alberton Oval gets underway at 2:10pm.