PORT ADELAIDE players have been given a reminder about the origins of the Showdown rivalry in the lead-up to Saturday night’s game, and the club’s football boss has highlighted the deep hatred that exists for the Crows at Alberton.
Coach Ken Hinkley revealed on Friday that a team meeting was used to “educate” players – including five who have never appeared in a Showdown – about the passion that exists in the South Australian derby.
Ahead of Saturday night's clash at an Adelaide Oval which will return to full capacity for the first time since 2019, Port Adelaide General Manager – Football, Chris Davis gave Port players a history lesson which he says is the core of Port's dislike of Adelaide.
It dates back to 1990 when Port, a SANFL powerhouse, attempted to join the AFL. When the other SANFL clubs found out, they took court action and blocked that bid.
Instead, the SANFL formed the Crows, who joined the AFL for the 1991 season.
Davies says Adelaide's reasons for disliking Port differ from his club's view on the rivalry.
"Their position is largely around being cross-town rivals and a whole heap of professional jealousy around what our club has been able to achieve over time," Davies said on Adelaide radio on Friday.
"Whereas our meaning for disliking the Adelaide footy club is a little bit deeper.
"And that is largely my responsibility in this week, is to make sure that our players get an understanding that this game means a fair bit to our club and our people.”
Port entered the AFL in 1997 when a second licence was offered to SA, but only succeeded after other SANFL clubs also made bids to join the national competition.
Davies said that history was felt deeply by those involved at the club and it was important the rivalry didn’t die with generations in the future.
“From our stand point, we get that there’s rivalry and there’s neighbour versus neighbour, it is families split into who supports Adelaide and who supports Port Adelaide through this particular period,” he explained.
“But I don’t want to just turn around to our players and say there’s a rivalry between Adelaide and Port Adelaide and leave it at that, thinking that dislike what their club stands for on the basis of geographics.
“There’s a whole heap of deeper meaning. Ultimately it may not make a difference to how our guys go about it tomorrow night, but it’ll certainly make a whole heap of difference to the depth of their knowledge of our footy club and the depth of knowledge when they see our people supporting them tomorrow night.”
Port Adelaide will take on the Crows in a historic SANFL/AFL double header from 3:35pm on Saturday.
Port Adelaide will name its selected team on Friday evening.
