Adelaide Crow Sam Jacobs and the Power's Tom Rockliff go head-to-head in the build-up to Showdown 44

ONE of them has won three Showdown medals. The other is about to play in his first. Advertiser columnists, Adelaide’s Sam Jacobs and Port Adelaide’s Tom Rockliff, face off to dissect Showdown 44.

Sam Jacobs and Tom Rockliff at Grange. Picture: Calum Robertson.

ONE of them has won three Showdown medals. The other is about to play in his first. Advertiser columnists, Adelaide’s Sam Jacobs and Port Adelaide’s Tom Rockliff, face off to dissect Showdown 44.

TOM ROCKLIFF: Sammy, they tell me you are Mr Showdown, having won an equal-record three medals as best-afield in Port-Crows clashes?

SAM JACOBS: Not sure about that but I do love playing in Showdowns. Being a South Australian and growing up with Showdowns they mean a lot to me. I love the passion, the build-up of the week and you always love beating Port Adelaide. While I hate Port during the week, I get on well with the guys off the field. It’s a good, healthy rivalry. I had a conversation with (teammate) Josh Jenkins about Showdowns and he’s a guy, coming from Victoria like yourself, who just treats Port like another team. But for me I get caught up in the build-up and think you should really lap it up. Apart from finals, Showdowns are the biggest games on the football calendar.

Tom Rockliff gets in the face of Nick Malceski during a QClash between the Gold Coast Suns and Brisbane Lions at Metricon Stadium. Picture: Adam Head

Steven Motlop, Tom Rockliff and Jack Watts are all playing their first Showdowns on Saturday. Picture: Sarah Reed

SJ: It’s your first Showdown. How does the build-up compare to the QClash?

TR: It’s been a bit different but I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to play in front of such a big crowd. Obviously the Showdown has been around a lot longer and there is greater feelings and emotions about it. The derby is a little bit fabricated up in Queensland. In SA you’re either a Power or Crows supporter.

SJ: I don’t envy too much about Port but one thing I like about the match-day experience is the Never Tear Us Apart song. What was that like to run out to in your first game as a Power player?

TR: It’s an amazing experience. When I was with Brisbane as an opposition player it was crazy to run out to but to be on the other side of the fence, at Port, is just incredible. It’s a great build-up, the best pre-game experience in the competition. No other club does it as well. You can’t hear anyone on the ground just prior to the first bounce and the song really gets the boys fired up.

SJ: Home crowd advantage is big in Showdowns. I was explaining this to (teammate) Bryce Gibbs that it’s amazing how your home ground can feel like an away game in a Showdown.

TR: Just how intense is the Port-Crows rivalry?

SJ: It can’t be understated. It doesn’t matter where the teams are on the ladder, it’s nearly always a close contest. Teams have a period when they have a bit of superiority over the other but you can never be confident because things can turn quickly. I’ve been fortunate to be involved in some good Showdown wins but I’ve also had some losses I’ll never forget, like in Showdown 35, when Angus Monfries had that lucky bounce and then Chad Wingard bobbed up late to kick the matchwinner. There’s nothing fabricated about Showdowns.

TR: What’s your most memorable Showdown?

SJ: It would have to be the ‘Walshy’ (Phil Walsh) one (round 16, 2015). He was a bloke who obviously had a big impact at Port first and he did the same in his short time at the Crows. The first game we played after his passing in Perth, when we got smashed by West Coast, was obviously really emotional. But then to come back to a Showdown — when the build-up was so big and with great respect between the teams — and to be 30 points up at three-quarter time and then just hold on to win by three points, well, it was a game I'll never forget.

Sam Jacobs battles with Port ruckman Paddy Ryder in Showdown 43 last year. Picture Sarah Reed

TR: Paddy Ryder is a great ruckman who is sure to give you a run for your money?

SJ: He’s a tough ruckman to play against. He’s missed a bit of footy this year (with Achilles tendinitis) but his jump and agility are great weapons. He has a good record of giving his midfielders first look at the ball so I have a big task in front of me.

SJ: You’ve had a bit of a tough beginning at Port through injury. How do you feel you’re tracking?

TR: Obviously it hasn’t been an ideal start for me in Port colours. But I feel like I’m ready to turn the corner after recovering from injury — first in the pre-season and then in round four — and getting hold of a bit of footy in the SANFL. I’d love to find some good form and play my role for the team in the Showdown. It’s a very important game for us and could shape our season. There’s a big difference between 5-3 and 4-4.

SJ: You’ve been an All-Australian and played at a high level for so long so how hard is it for someone like yourself to miss a chunk of pre-season training and get going again?

TR: Good pre-seasons are critical. There are not too many players who can miss pre-season time and hit the ground running. I was recovering from a shoulder injury at the start of pre-season and then I had that little knee complaint which cost me the JLT Community Series, so it did affect me. When you start to get over that age 26 mark it’s particularly important to have really good pre-seasons. I have found it more challenging than I thought I would.

Crows player Sam Jacobs delivers to Port Adelaide recruit Tom Rockliff at Grange Jetty. Picture: Calum Robertson

TR: You guys have had your own issues with hamstrings?

SJ: It’s not an issue for me because I don’t run fast enough. In all seriousness, the club has acknowledged that it’s not ideal and we’re looking into it. A positive is that we’ve still been able to win games and at 5-2 are in a pretty strong position. We only used 29 players last season so the bonus is that we’ve exposed some guys who have come in and played some really good footy, such as Cam Ellis-Yolmen, Hugh Greenwood and Jordan Gallucci. That will make us a better team in the long run.

TR: Who’s the better midfielder, Bryce Gibbs or Rory Sloane?

SJ: I can’t answer that. You could throw Matty and Brad Crouch in there as well.

TR: I see the Crouch boys every morning for coffee. They pop into the Spare Room Cafe at Grange. They are there that early I reckon they open the doors.

SJ: My answer is who ever gets to the stoppage first.

TR: But you must be happy with what Bryce has brought to the club in the first seven rounds?

SJ: Probably similar to yourself, he’s been a leader at another club who hasn’t had the success he would have wanted and has thrived in our environment. He’s one of my best mates and it’s great to be able to play football with him again after we both started at Carlton. What he’s brought is a great skill level. He’s enjoyed kicking the ball into our forward line and he is really strong around the contest. We’re just looking forward to having Bryce, Sloaney and the Crouch boys play a bit of footy together, which hasn’t happened yet. It was only a year or so ago that our midfield was being questioned. I don’t think you can do that anymore.

TR: When he was drafted Matty wasn’t supposed to be as good as Brad. Has he surprised you with the heights he’s reached?

SJ: To be so good so quickly, yes. Being a preselection pick from GWS there was lot more hype about Brad when we secured him. Matty was touted as being just an inside-mid but his kicking has surprised me. He’s a really good decision maker, he’s so clean and like yourself is able to bring other players into the game and make them better.

Matt and Brad Crouch work together to bring down Collingwood’s Jack Crisp. Picture Sarah Reed

SJ: Talking of the midfield, there’s going to be some big bodies in there in the Showdown?

TR: It’s going to be a good contest and I think that’s where the game’s going to be won. We were really disappointed with how we performed last week against West Coast. We got beaten up around the contest. You can’t lose contested footy by 40 and expect to win, so we need to make sure we are first at the footy. Winning contested ball has been our main focus at training this week. There will be a fair bit of power and strength in there with (Port’s) Ollie Wines, Sam Powell-Pepper and Brad Ebert going against Ellis-Yolmen, Matt Crouch and Greenwood. It will be a real arm wrestle.

TR: Everyone thought you’d miss Jake Lever but Tom Doedee’s been a bit of a revelation down back?

SJ: To see him playing AFL this year hasn’t surprised me but to see him adept so quickly has. Regardless of what Lever was going to do at the end of last year the club was very confident that we had a ready-made player in Tommy. I’m big on players, if they need to, spending time at State League level to hone their craft and he did that. He finished second in our SANFL best and fairest and quite easily led the league in intercept marks. He was able to work on a style that has allowed him to made a smooth transition to the AFL.

TR: Which player do you fear the most from our side?

SJ: Robbie Gray. He’s a star and I’m just a big fan of the way he goes about it. You can put him anywhere on the ground and he’ll be dangerous. Robbie’s so crafty and such an influential player up forward or in the midfield with his explosiveness and cleanness by hand. We’ll have a couple of plans for him. Luke Brown will probably get the job on him when he’s stationed forward while in the middle we’ll just need to make sure we get our hands on the ball first. You’ll have your own concerns with Eddie Betts.

Port Adelaide star Robbie Gray, left, with the in-form Tom Jonas. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

TR: There will be some tough match-ups against your forwards. Tommy Jonas is in good form for us and can play on talls and smalls but Darcy Byrne-Jones will probably be the favourite to start on Betts because of his speed.

SJ: Of the lesser-known Port players when you arrived at Alberton, who has impressed you most?

TR: Riley Bonner. Players who can break lines through their run and carry and long kicking are invaluable and he’s one of those.

SJ: Your assistant coach Michael Voss is my all-time favourite player. What’s it been like to link up with him again after previously spending time with him at Brisbane?

TR: I’ve loved every minute of it. We caught up before I decided to move to Port and working with him again has been fantastic. His touch work with his hands is as good as there is and he’s grown as a coach, learning more about himself and teaching styles.

TR: Now that we’ve done this interview together can you knock a tap down my throat to get me started.

SJ: You’re a good country boy like me, so we’ll see what we can do.

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