Port Adelaide to field six Showdown first-timers for the first time since 2013

Port Adelaide will field six Showdown debutants on Saturday night — the most derby first-timers in one side for six years.

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Port Adelaide will, in Showdown 46, field the most derby debutants in six years.

A big underdog after losing key players, co-captains Ollie Wines and Tom Jonas, four-times Showdown Medallist Robbie Gray and veteran Brad Ebert to injury in the past two weeks, the Power will at Adelaide Oval on Saturday play six men who are new to Showdowns.

They are West Coast premiership ruckman Scott Lycett, former Hawthorn first-round draft pick and 2017 AFL Rising Star runner-up Ryan Burton, last year’s first-round selections Connor Rozee and Xavier Duursma, key forward Todd Marshall and third-year midfielder Willem Drew, who made his AFL debut in round one.

In contrast, archrival Adelaide will field just two Showdown first-timers — ruckman Reilly O’Brien and key forward Elliott Himmelberg, who have played just 11 AFL games between them.

The last time Port fielded so many players for their first Showdown was in round three, 2013, when Wines, Angus Monfries, Jake Neade, Campbell Heath, Kane Mitchell and Lewis Stevenson helped the Power fight back from a 15-point half-time deficit to win by nine points as Travis Boak won the Showdown Medal.

Port Adelaide’s six Showdown debutants Xavier Duursma, Wilem Drew, Ryan Burton, Scott Lycett, Todd Marshall and Connor Rozee. Picture: Sarah Reed

The previous most derby debutants either club had fielded before that was in round five, 2012, when the Power unveiled a teenage Chad Wingard, Ebert, Ben Jacobs, Aaron Young, Brent Renouf, John McCarthy, John Butcher and Darren Pfeiffer in a 19-point defeat at Football Park.

Then Crow and current Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield was best-afield with 39 disposals.

Port coach Ken Hinkley said his derby newcomers knew the significance of the occasion and didn’t believe their lack of Showdown experience would have a big bearing on the game, where the Power will try to square the derby ledger at 23 wins apiece.

“We all understand Showdowns are bigger and better (than most games), they are the big show in this town,’’ Hinkley said.

“Our players only had to walk around Adelaide this week to get an understanding of what’s coming.

“They are big games, we get it, our players get it and I’m sure the Crows players get it.

“It will be on again Saturday night, we look forward to it again and our players will be ready for it.’’

Hinkley noted how Burton had tasted the intense Hawthorn-Geelong rivalry and that Lycett had played in the Western Australian derby between the Eagles and Fremantle.

But he described the Showdown rivalry as the best.

“I don’t think there is a bigger game in the competition than Port Adelaide versus Adelaide,’’ Hinley said.

“I just think it's a massive game and they have been such great games that they continue to grow.’’