Port Adelaide keeps Showdown 22 and adds four for AFL trip to Shanghai

PORT Adelaide has all of its Showdown heroes in the 26-man squad travelling to Shanghai on Monday night for its second AFL game in China

After the dramatic five-point derby win against the Crows, Port Adelaide captain Travis Boak is to lead the Power to China with the challenge of avoiding the “let-down after the Showdown”. Picture: Sarah Reed.

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PORT Adelaide will take all of its 22 Showdown heroes in a 26-man squad — one more than last year — on the China adventure to Shanghai on Monday evening.

The Power has cleared each of its players from the demanding derby win against Adelaide on Saturday to take flight to China for Saturday’s clash with Gold Coast at Jiangwan Stadium.

This includes second-year midfielder Sam Powell-Pepper, who has put away two reports — for wrestling and misconduct — from Showdown 44 by paying a $2500 fine.

Sam Powell-Pepper hoists Robbie Gray to the sky as he celebrates one of his five third-quarter goals in the Showdown. Picture Sarah Reed

By contrast Gold Coast — that will leave for Shanghai on Tuesday — still has to deal with a tribunal hearing for co-captain Steven May for intentional contact with a field umpire during Saturday’s loss to Melbourne at the Gabba.

The Suns already have had key position player Sam Day handed a one-game ban by AFL match review officer Michael Christian for striking Melbourne defender Neville Jetta.

Port Adelaide’s players left their team review at Alberton at lunchtime with a clear message they need to back-up Saturday’s five-point win against the Crows with a solid performance against the Suns.

Avoiding the “let-down after a Showdown” is a challenge for the Power squad considering Port Adelaide has not had to deal with the euphoria of a derby win since 2015.

“That is the challenge for the coaches this week — and certainly the players,” said Port Adelaide football chief Chris Davies. “They are to approach the game in a manner that befits what we want to do this season.

“The second half on the weekend for us was a pretty significant change to the performances we have put out (in seven earlier games this season). If we want to continue to be good for the remainder of this year, we need to make that the benchmark rather than the once-off.”

Davies is confident the preparations the Power made for last year’s historic game against the Suns in China are still appropriate for this week’s trip.

“We did a pretty good job last year in terms of the preparation,” Davies said. “We’re pretty keen to get over there and follow the method we went through last year.”

The Power group will arrive at Shanghai at lunchtime Tuesday, train on Wednesday and Friday and play on Saturday afternoon.

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