How the key match-ups played out in Showdown 46
After analysing the key match-ups between Adelaide and Port Adelaide ahead of Showdown 46, The Phantom looks back on how they played out on Saturday night and gives his verdict.
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After analysing the key match-ups between Adelaide and Port Adelaide ahead of Showdown 46, The Phantom looks back on how they played out on Saturday night and gives his verdict.
REILLY O’BRIEN v PADDY RYDER/SCOTT LYCETT
Coming into Showdown 46, Port Adelaide, led by the combination of Ryder and Lycett, were the best clearance side in the competition.
So it was little surprise the Power led the clearance count by 16 — and by five at the centre bounce — at half-time.
But the Crows, through ground-ball dominance and a standout back six — led by Showdown Medallist Alex Keath — made sure the Power couldn’t take advantage of so much first possession.
Port Adelaide won the final clearance battle by 17 but, while a sheer weight of numbers almost saw it overrun the Crows late in the final term, the Power midfield couldn’t capitalise on the first-use provided to them by the big men.
Lycett’s 15 contested possessions was the individual highlight as all three, who each had 13 disposals or less, failed to have a big impact around the ground.
Verdict: The Power duo get the points in the match-up but O’Brien didn’t let either Ryder or Lycett take control of the game.
THE MIDFIELD
The two sides sit inside the top-five for contested possession in the competition — with Port Adelaide ranked No. 1 — and on Saturday night, both recorded season-high tallies with the Crows (188) just edging the Power (187) at the contest in another tough Showdown.
Port Adelaide’s Tom Rockliff led the way with an equal-career-high 23 contested possessions, to go with game-highs in clearances (10) and inside-50s (12).
Rockliff tallied 26 disposals in the second-half alone as he led the Power’s late fightback.
Stand-in skipper Travis Boak recorded 18 contested possessions but a disposal efficiency of 42 per cent saw him fail to have the same impact he did in the first seven rounds.
Sam Powell-Pepper, who also spent time forward in the absence of Brad Ebert, finished with 15 contested possessions — and two goals — of his own.
For the Crows, Brad Crouch tallied 30 disposals and 12 contested possessions, while co-captain Rory Sloane finished with 26 disposals, 13 contested possessions and a game-high 13 tackles.
Matt Crouch suffered a corked hip and failed to return after the main break but his absence saw Don Pyke inject Hugh Greenwood into the engine room for the second-half.
And it was the difference in a high-calibre midfield deadlock.
Adelaide took control of the game in the third term with Greenwood tallying nine disposals, seven contested possessions, six groundball-gets and big goal to put his side 38 points up heading into the final change.
The 27-year-old finished with a team-high 19 contested possessions, eight clearances and eight tackles.
Led by Rockliff and Boak, the Power kicked five unanswered goals in a final-quarter comeback but the damage had been done.
Verdict: While there was an impressive first-quarter performance from third-year midfielder Willem Drew — four contested possessions, three clearances and five tackles — when the heat was on, it was the Crows’ second midfield rotation, one that also included Cam Ellis-Yolmen (15 contested possessions) which, in the end, proved the difference.
EDDIE BETTS v DAN HOUSTON/RYAN BURTON
It wasn’t the in-form Tom Clurey who went to the star small-forward, as co-captain Tom Jonas suggested may be the case earlier in the week, it was Hawthorn recruit Ryan Burton who got the job.
But, unfortunately, it didn’t last long.
Early in the opening term, Betts was out in front on the lead but Burton showed his closing speed, making the contest and forcing the ball out.
But, in the process, pinged a hamstring and never returned.
Dougal Howard spent time on Betts but it was Dan Houston who was his main opponent for the remainder of the match.
Betts got out the back once, after a strong contested mark from Taylor Walker at half-forward, but failed to convert from 25 metres out.
And he didn’t do much else, finishing with 10 disposals and just one behind as Tom Lynch (3), Taylor Walker (2) and Riley Knight (2) did the damage on the scoreboard.
Verdict: Houston. After 35 majors in Showdowns since crossing from Carlton, a goalless Betts was a win for the Power defence.
TAYLOR WALKER v TOM CLUREY
An in-form Clurey went straight to Walker for the first bounce, which saw Howard line-up alongside young forward Elliot Himmelberg.
Clurey, who has kept Ben Brown and Jack Darling goalless this season, while also restricting Jordan De Goey to just one, got the better of Walker in the first-half.
Despite a big contested-mark at half-forward, Walker failed to have any real impact in the opening two quarters — he wasn’t the only key-forward, either — tallying just seven disposals, three marks and one score assist — the behind to Betts, which followed the that mark.
Clurey recorded nine disposals and three rebound 50s as he began to work back against Walker the other way.
But it turned after the major break with Walker breaking even after booting two goals — including one to seal the game after Port’s charge — and dishing off another.
And he also didn’t let Clurey outmark him too many times like Docker defender Alex Pearce did the previous week, with the Power defender recording just five touches in the second-half and finishing with just three marks.
Verdict: Walker, just. Clurey had his measure for most part but the Adelaide skipper lifted as his side took control in the second half.
THE QUESTION
Will Rory Laird be tagged?
When Aidyn Johnson lined-up next to Laird at half-back, it looked as if the returning Power forward was given the job of trying to curtail the play-making defender.
But Laird quickly tallied a game-high six disposals in the first eight minutes with Johnson hardly sighted.
The hard tag didn’t seem to eventuate and Laird relished the freedom finishing with 31 disposals and a season-high 20 kicks.
Early in the last quarter, Adelaide had generated 45 points from forward-half turnovers, with Laird leading the way in this area.
The margin at that time was 44 points.
He might be tagged again in Showdown 47.
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