AFTER 49 Showdowns, there is enough data to test the theory that the South Australian derby ignores the premiership table, the form guide and the betting boards. Fact or fiction?

Showdown L marks the fourth derby in which Port Adelaide and Adelaide are at extremes on the AFL ladder. The results from the previous three do make the bookmakers appear to be ignoring the tradition of the Showdown by offering miserly odds on Port Adelaide while listing Adelaide as a 7/1 underdog.

Showdown XVI, 2004: Port Adelaide ranked first, Adelaide 12th. Port Adelaide won by 25 points.

Showdown XXXV, 2013: Port Adelaide eighth, Adelaide 12th. Port Adelaide won the last derby at Football Park by four points - needing the miraculous goal by Angus Monfries to avoid an unexpected defeat.

Showdown XXXVII, 2014: Port Adelaide first, Adelaide 11th. Port Adelaide, after being held scoreless until time-on of the third term, faded to a 23-point loss (99-76) at Adelaide Oval.

Showdown L, 2021: Port Adelaide fourth, Adelaide 16th. And the expectation is a simple derby in which Port Adelaide stretches its current winning streak against Adelaide to four and its advantage in the Showdown ledger to 26-24.

Port Adelaide has won the past three derbies by 57, 75 and 49 points.

Port Adelaide's form is at an extreme difference to that of Adelaide - Port Adelaide has won six of its past seven matches; Adelaide is 2-5 across its past seven.

And so are the line-ups offering a stark contrast with Port Adelaide strengthened in attack by the return from injury of Showdown specialist Robbie Gray.

Most significant in this form equation is the style of football Port Adelaide is showing to command territory while locking the ball inside its forward half. While a heavy injury list recently has tested Port Adelaide's ability to imbed the new gameplan, the lead-up win against Greater Western Sydney highlighted the scoreboard power Ken Hinkley's team can gain from the forward-half wall.

"It has been a bit of a build for us from the start of the year," Hinkley said. "People were talking about how the game was being played - and we were playing slightly differently than some.

"We have had to challenge our defence to be able to come up to speed with our offence because we want to play the game; we don't want to slow the game down. We want to play it pretty quick. 

"To do that and get the front-of-centre game going you have to put some work into making sure that you catch up to your offence at times."

The contrasting states of the two derby team suggest Port Adelaide could command forward-half territory - and again hold Adelaide to Showdown record low scores after conceding just 5.8 in this year's first derby and 5.5 in last year's one-off Showdown.

Moving the ball into a potentially crowded inside-50 arc could be challenging, particularly with the intercept work of Adelaide defender Tom Doedee who has drawn attention from Port Adelaide forwards coach Nathan Bassett this week.

Port Adelaide last week used the new "stand rule" at marks to launch play-on moves - with handballs to team-mates running in free space to set up inside-50 entry kicks away from Greater Western Sydney's intercept defenders.

"Those opportunities have been there all year," Hinkley said. "We are just making the most of the introduction (of that rule)."

Port Adelaide's attack has benefitted from the stronger marking of All-Australian key forward Charlie Dixon, who - remarkably - has gained in the air by being slowed on the ground with battered legs.

"Charlie was running under the ball because he was impatient to get to the ball," Bassett said. "His sore leg has changed that."

And the battering of Dixon's legs has been eased by the return of Peter Ladhams to take Dixon's spot at centre ruck duels when lead ruckman Scott Lycett steps aside.

Port Adelaide will be at home at Adelaide Oval, but it will play before few friends while just 15,000 fans will be granted entry to Showdown L.

"I am pleased there is a crowd," said Hinkley who has had his team work inside an empty Marvel Stadium in Melbourne in the past two games. "I just would have liked some of our people to be there too. It is a Crows home Showdown ... and I bet I get plenty of advice at the right time."

Showdown L will mark the second derby for Miles Bergman, the teenager who was born after 10 derbies had been played at Football Park. They No. 14 pick from the 2019 AFL national draft appears a notable absentee from the 2021 Rising Star nomination field.

"He has had a great season," Hinkley said of Bergman's 18 matches in his debut year. "He has played all bar one game in a top-four side. He has done some really good stuff to maintain his position in the side for a young player particularly when you consider last year (he could not play in the SANFL by the COVID protocols). 

"He is an exciting young player. He has an enormous future. I am sure he will get enough recognition at the right time. And it would not surprise me if he is nominated in the next two to three weeks."

THE BIRD SEED

(the small details that count)

Showdown L

Adelaide v Port Adelaide, Adelaide Oval

When: Saturday, August 7, 2021

Time: 7.10pm

Last time: Port Adelaide 12.15 (87) d Adelaide 5.8 (38) at Adelaide Oval, round 8, May 8 this year.

Overall: Port Adelaide 25, Adelaide 24.

Past five games: From the most recent, W W W L L

Scoring averages: Port Adelaide 88, Adelaide 91 

Tightest margin: Three points, twice (Adelaide wins in Showdowns 39 and 45).

Biggest margin: Port Adelaide by 75 points in Showdown 48; Adelaide by 84 points in Showdown 43.

By the venue: Adelaide Oval, Port Adelaide 6, Adelaide 8; Football Park, Port Adelaide 19, Adelaide 16.