Odd Couple: Chris ‘Bone’ McDermott and Michelangelo ‘Rooch’ Rucci look at the big issues of Showdown 45
OUR Odd Couple — Chris “Bone” McDermott and Michelangelo “Rooch” Rucci — look at the big issues ahead of Showdown 45 at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
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- Jonas: Why Power hates the Crows
OUR Odd Couple — Chris “Bone” McDermott and Michelangelo “Rooch” Rucci — look at the big issues ahead of Showdown 45 at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
WHICH midfield holds the aces in Showdown 45?
BONE: Without any doubt, Port Adelaide’s midfield — especially for this game.
Ollie Wines is a brute and with Sam Powell-Pepper make up the “Bash Brothers”.
Travis Boak is the general. Brad Ebert is a rock.
There’s the genius of Robbie Gray, the magic of Chad Wingard, the hard running of Jared Polec and the poetry of Stevie Motlop.
That’s a pretty handy eight and the Crows are banged up.
Rory Sloane cannot run, Bryce Gibbs has had the handbrake put on him and Matt Crouch cannot do it on his own. I rest my case.
ROOCH: Strange how ruckmen never get mentioned in midfield talk — and they are the tallest guys at the midfield meetings, Christopher.
The ruck battles between Port Adelaide’s All-Australian Patrick Ryder and Adelaide’s lion-hearted Sam Jacobs are a big part of this derby — and the midfield battle.
Their recent duels have been classics — and Jacobs’ work has delivered him three Showdown Medals, each in the second derby of the season.
This is a grand rivalry within the rivalry — and will determine which midfield has the biggest say on the scoreboard.
And who is not looking forward to the match-ups to work under Ryder and Jacobs’ tap work.
WHICH attack is the most threatening?
BONE: Threatening or effective? You ask threatening and I will reply: Adelaide.
You ask effective and I say: Port Adelaide.
Taylor Walker, Josh Jenkins, Tom Lynch, Mitch McGovern, Eddie Betts and any of Hugh Greenwood/Richard Douglas/Lachlan Murphy makes for a beautifully balanced — and when on — extremely effective attack.
But the Crows forwards are not “ ON “ at the moment.
The Power’s front six is building nicely.
Charlie Dixon is back in form. Justin Westhoff has been in form all season. Robbie Gray and Chad Wingard can turn it on and kick any day.
Then there’s Travis Boak, Sam Gray, Steven Motlop and, of course, Jack Watts.
First to 15 goals wins.
ROOCH: Until halftime of the Crows-Melbourne match it seemed Adelaide had found its magic again.
Good, solid supply with inside-50s — critically linked to that hybrid wingman-forward Tom Lynch — and that very Crows-style way of locking the ball inside-50.
And then it disappeared … and the Crows started scoring more behinds than goals.
Adelaide does have the most threatening, but you are right Christopher: Who will have the most effective attack? For the record, Port Adelaide has not kicked 15 goals in a Showdown since 2015.
WHO will deal with Eddie Betts, the constant Showdown threat to Port Adelaide?
BONE: Tom Jonas got him last time and held him to three goals in the Power’s five-point win. He should get him again. If Dougal Howard is back, he should take Josh Jenkins.
ROOCH: Quite a record Eddie Betts has in Showdowns, Christopher. He has scored 34.17 in nine derbies since leaving Carlton to join Adelaide.
He has scored goals in all of these Showdowns. He has kicked five goals in three derbies — and 20 goals in the past five. And he is roaming far to the centre square today.
It might be a case of how many — rather than who — gets Eddie Betts in Showdown 45.
WILL we see Don Pyke react — as Ken Hinkley did in Showdown 44 — if the Crows win?
BONE: It’s like dancing with your sister. What’s the point? And no offence to my sister Jane.
ROOCH: But Christopher, my sister is a superb dancer and very fine company on the dance floor, at the dinner table or on the family picnic. (Would you like her number?)
And you must acknowledge that Pyke has tried to move away from that “Deadpan Don” image that “KG” Cunningham gave him last year.
Surely a few fist pumps and something to match Kevin Sheedy’s jacket wave in victory could come from Pyke’s act in triumph in this Showdown?
And then again, you might be right Christopher.
YOUR tip — and why?
BONE: Port Adelaide. If the Power is genuine, it will win — and win comfortably.
But I do get the feeling this might be “Retro Round” or, should I say, the “Retro Showdown”.
Brush off the happy pants, the flower shirts, the clogs and the ripple sole shoes.
We’re going back to the 90s for a good old-fashioned, no holds barred, almost anything goes Showdown.
ROOCH: What are you saying here Christopher?
That your old Crows mates know they can’t beat Port Adelaide at football so they will try to beat the Power with unsportsmanlike tactics?
Is this the, “We can’t beat them, so let’s join them” playbook? Do some Crows players want early holidays organised by the Michael Christian travel agency at AFL House? Surely not, Christopher.
If it is a football match, Port Adelaide wins. If it is a boxing bout, it will be a grand day for whichever charity is collecting those fines from match review officer Christian.