Coaches predict contested possessions will decide Showdown 46

For all the tactics and formlines and change in personnel at South Australia’s two clubs, the coaches believe what wins the game can be narrowed down to one simple statistic.

• Crows take Derby gamble on Brown
• Cornes: Which Oval midfield will show up?
• Can we top last year’s incredible Showdowns?
• Lycett’s epic sledge of Smith
• Boak to go back to front as captain

Adelaide coach Don Pyke and Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley are united in naming contest the king as they prepare for Showdown 46 at Adelaide Oval in a game Hinkley called one of the biggest games in Australian football.

But Hinkley suspected there would be little to take from last weekend, when the Power was jumped in the first quarter and Adelaide eked out a low-scoring match against Fremantle.

He pointed to previous close and high-scoring Showdowns and predicted the game would open up at some stage and reach the heights fans have come to expect from the South Australian derbies.

“From my point of view — I’ve been here a little bit longer than Don — I think it’s as big as you get when it comes to our competition.

“I spoke to Ryan Burton about the Hawthorn-Geelong rivalry … I don't think there’s a bigger game in the competition than Port Adelaide versus Adelaide.

“I just think it’s a massive game and they’ve been such great games.

Port Adelaide’s acting captain Travis Boak during the Power’s Captain’s Run at Adelaide Oval on Friday. Picture: Sarah Reed

“It (contest) is the key in every game, regardless of whether it’s a Showdown or not.

“Whether it’s us against Collingwood or Adelaide against Freo.

“It’s a contest; that’s where the game stops and starts.

“But if you look at last year’s Showdowns both sides I think scored 90 points so I suspect that the game will still get into some open, free-flowing football at some point.”

Pyke was of a similar mind.

“I think we’ve returned to some good form in the contest space and Port’s been strong in that all year,” Pyke said. “I expect that’s what we’ll see and it’s a great opportunity for both sides to take another step forward.”

Adelaide is up 23-22 in Showdowns since they began in 1997 and have won six of the last seven.

But Pyke has warned his players not to read into the Power’s heavy injury toll, which includes co-captains Tom Jonas and Ollie Wines, vice-captain Hamish Hartlett, key forward Charlie Dixon and utility Brad Ebert.

“I don’t buy into that, to be honest,” Pyke said. “We’ve got some guys who are missing as well.

“There will be 22 for Port and 22 for us run out and the reality is they’re the ones we have to focus on and they’re the ones who will be responsible for getting the job done.

“Our players clearly understand in this competition every week is a significant challenge because there are no easy games.

Both Pyke and Hinkley said the teams would go in as named with no player under an injury cloud after light training runs on Friday morning.