Showdown 45: A remarkable game with a crazy postscript
Did it shave the post? Josh Jenkins’ goal in the dying moments of Showdown 45 will go into folklore. But it shouldn’t overshadow one of the rivalry’s most incredible editions, writes former Crows captain Mark Bickley.
- Greatest Showdowns Part 1: A city divided
- Greatest Showdowns Part 2: The brutal 24th edition
- Greatest Showdowns Part 3: The electrifying 44th
“My grandma raised me not to tell fibs. I think it hit the post but I’m pretty happy that they didn’t think so.”
With those words Josh Jenkins unintentionally created a controversial postscript to another remarkable Showdown.
Just minutes earlier Jenkins had swooped on a loose ball which was overrun by Eddie Betts and Tom Jonas, snapping it across his body to put the Crows in the lead with just 2.38 on the clock in Showdown 45.
Jasper Pittard instantly remonstrated with the goal umpire pointing to the top of the goalpost. The umpire would review his initial call, but with the ensuing vision inconclusive, the goal would stand, and Adelaide would hold on to win.
What made this game even more interesting was the precarious positions of both clubs leading into the game.
Port Adelaide had lost two of its previous three games and were looking shaky after sitting inside the top four only a month earlier. With only three games left in the season following the Showdown, (all against quality opposition), a win over the 12th-placed Crows would see them lock away a finals berth.
Adelaide’s season was on a knife edge. With only nine wins for the year and four rounds remaining, the Crows needed the perfect finish to be any chance of playing finals. Coming off a loss to the Demons at Adelaide Oval, the fans were restless, facing the prospect of missing September action just 11 months on from the 2017 Grand Final.
Showdown 45 would start with the tally locked at 22 wins for both clubs, and after a pulsating first quarter there was still no way to split the teams, with both sides locked on 5.3 a piece. Jenkins kicked the first goal of the match inside 90 seconds but the quarter belonged to Port Adelaide teenager and Showdown rookie Kane Farrell. In just his second game of AFL football he had three goals against his name at the first break.
The second quarter saw Port Adelaide start to assert their authority on the contest, kicking four goals to the Crows two. Robbie Gray and Chad Wingard both got two goals for the quarter and created havoc sharing their time between the midfield and forward. Both were able to find space goal side of their opponents.
Two high-quality goals to Gallucci and Lynch from the same right hand pocket at the River end would see the Crows reduce the margin to the solitary point at the final change.
Still no-one could have predicted the drama that was to follow.
Port Adelaide again through Gray and Wingard would push the lead out to 13 points with the first two goals of the final quarter before Adelaide would respond with two of their own to take back the lead.
Two Power players who have tormented Crows fans in previous Showdowns were poised to do it again. First Robbie Gray kicked his fourth goal to put Port back in front, followed by Chad Wingard who less than two minutes later popped up in the goalsquare on his own to kick his fourth and put the lead at 10 points with eight minutes to play.
Then came a forgettable moment for Ollie Wines. After clunking a huge contested mark only 15 metres out on a 60 degree angle, Wines chose to run around and snap for goal instead of electing the more deliberate drop punt. The snap went well wide, and a chance to go 16 points clear also evaporated.
To make matters worse Adelaide’s next foray forward saw Eddie Betts weave some of his magic to pull the margin back to a very gettable four points.
And we are back to where we started. Josh Jenkins soccering the ball forward, Jonas and Betts both running over it to allow Jenkins to pick it up and snap the winner.
Having spoken with Josh, I have asked the inevitable question, “did it hit the post”?
His answer was surprising. “I actually thought I heard it graze the post, as opposed to seeing a deflection”. Remarkable really when you consider the noise the 50,377 fans were making at the time. He followed it up with “ I’ve seen the vision many, many, times since, and am still not convinced one way or the other.”
It is now part of Showdown folklore.
Jenkins’ 18 possessions, eight marks, seven tackles, six inside fifties and two first half goals are overshadowed by his last kick and his post match interview.
As was Robbie Gray, who’s four goals, 20 touches and seven clearances would earn him his fourth Showdown medal.
