Port Adelaide push for Aldinga Sharks and Kilburn to play Adelaide Oval AFL curtain raiser

PORT Adelaide wants to swing its big-league power behind the battling Aldinga Sharks by putting them on Adelaide Oval for an AFL match-day curtain raiser. TAKE OUR POLL

POWER BOOST: Aldinga Sharks players Michael Fasano, Simon Stead and David Mike are excited about Port Adelaide’s support for the club. Picture: Calum Robertson

PORT Adelaide wants to swing its big-league power behind the battling Aldinga Sharks by putting them on Adelaide Oval for an AFL match-day curtain raiser.

The Power is planning to invite the Southern Football League club, which has lost three games by a total of 711 points, to play struggling amateur club Kilburn (two losses by a total of 736 points).

Talks with the Oval’s management group to gain access to the ground for a curtain-raiser began last night.

The earliest opportunity for the match is May 10, when the Power hosts Fremantle at the Oval, but the Sharks’ obligations to the Southern Football League on that date — when Aldinga is drawn to play Edwardstown.

News_Image_File: MENTOR: Former Crows coach Graham Cornes with Sharks captain Daniel Dempsey. Cornes is offering to run a training session for the club. Picture: Tricia Watkinson.

Port will host St Kilda in a Saturday twilight game (4.10pm start) on June 7 during the Queen’s Birthday long weekend when both the Sharks and the Chics have no game in their respective competitions.

But the Power already has assigned the curtain-raiser to the SA Women’s Football League to celebrate AFL women’s round.

Preliminary talks at Power headquarters at Alberton have the AFL club preparing to hand over a corporate room at the Oval for the Sharks and Chics to sell for their fundraising needs.

News_Rich_Media: A diggers' reunion half a century in the making, a spike in cycling deaths on SA roads, and big guns brought in to try and secure a win for the Aldinga Sharks.Sharks president Danny Wilde, a Power supporter, praised Port Adelaide for supporting grassroots football.

“That is sensational, absolutely terrific if we can make it happen,” Wilde said.

“All the boys would be pumped to be alongside an AFL game at Adelaide Oval.

“The event would put us on the map even more and help us recruit.”

Kilburn is free of amateur league commitments on May 10 when the SA Amateur Football League has cleared the calendar for state matches.

Wilde said he would appeal to the SFL and Edwardstown to postpone the Sharks-Towns A-grade game if May 10 is the only date the Power can secure for the Sharks-Chics curtain raiser at the Oval.

News_Image_File: The Advertiser is helping the Sharks with footy showbags for its weekend match. Aldinga Sharks player Tyler Harman with son Jaxen, 1, and two mini-league players Brayden, 9, and brother Jacob, 7. Picture: Dylan Coker.

The Sharks have gained national attention for their winless start to the season in which they have lost three games by a combined 711 points. The Chics have lost their two division three amateur matches by a combined 736 points.

The Sharks tomorrow will host the Marion Rams at Aldinga Oval with The Advertiser backing the game with the “Spark the Sharks” campaign. The plight of the Sharks has moved Glenelg premiership hero Rex Voight who is supporting tomorrow’s match with his Hackham IGA donating goods for the giant sausage sizzle at Shark Park.

His shop will provide 100 loaves of bread, 20kg of onions, tomato sauce and napkins. Gawler River Cattle Co has donated 100kg of sausages for the free barbecue.

“It’s good to help grassroots football,” Voigt said. “I think sport is a great leveller in life. Sport is a team thing, camaraderie comes into it, guys end up becoming your best mates and you’ve got lifelong memories.”

One of Voigt’s Glenelg teammates, Graham Cornes, put the Sharks through their paces at training last night.