AFL 2024: Relive updates, SuperCoach scores from Adelaide’s Showdown win over Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide had its chances but its failure to capitalise in front of goal allowed Adelaide to send champion Rory Sloane off in style. Relive updates and see our SuperCoach takeaways.
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Adelaide sent Rory Sloane into retirement with a superb Showdown win over arch-nemesis Port Adelaide.
The result keeps Crows’ season alive and holds the Power from finishing the round inside the top four.
Relive all the action below.
THREE SUPERCOACH TAKEAWAYS
HE’S THE REAL DEAL
SuperCoaches will simply have to take a look at the form of Jake Soligo after his Showdown-Medal winning performance.
Adelaide appears to be building its midfield around Jordan Dawson and Soligo, and the latter is a far cheaper option for SuperCoaches looking for immediate impact.
Soligo’s 143 SuperCoach points came from 27 disposals and 10 tackles.
Understandably, Soligo was helped by winning five free kicks but his recent form suggests he is growing by the week.
The midfielder costs $468,200.
SWEET ADDITION
Port Adelaide ruckman Jordon Sweet was a tremendous addition for the 53,000 SuperCoaches who traded him in this week.
Sweet had a break even of -113 and finished with an impressive 71 points.
He competed strongly all night, winning 31 hitouts in his third game at Port Adelaide.
Sweet is owned by 38 per cent of SuperCoaches, but that is sure to rise rapidly again this week.
TO TRADE OR NOT TO TRADE
It’s the question nearly 20,000 SuperCoaches will ask themselves this week ... do I keep Connor Rozee in my side if he is selected next week?
Rozee was subbed out late in the match after his lingering hamstring ruled him out.
The Power skipper is owned by a stack of SuperCoaches, who will need to assess whether they can trust him if he is selected again.
Rozee finished with 54 SuperCoach points, which is miles behind his break even of 174.
10:10: FT — CROWS SEND SLOANE OFF IN STYLE
Adelaide has celebrated Rory Sloane’s departure from football with a stunning Showdown win.
The Crows taught Port Adelaide a lesson in execution, kicking 12.6 to the Power’s 5.18.
At one stage, the Crows had seven straight goals to Port Adelaide’s 3.7.
The major talking point of the night will be the decision to play Connor Rozee, who was subbed off after re-injuring the hamstring he hurt last week.
Jason Horne-Francis tried his hardest to drag the Power over the line with two timely goals but his side were never able to transfer their dominance to where it counts.
Jake Soligo produced a career-best night with 27 disposals, 10 tackles and 143 SuperCoach points — aided by five free kicks for.
10:02: IT’S OVER NOW
Adelaide’s ability to make the most of minimal opportunity will see it win this Showdown.
The Crows have found a way to kick goals against the play and make the most of chances in front of goals.
They lead by 24 points late in the fourth.
Jake Soligo has to be the favourite to take home the Showdown Medal for his 27 disposals, 10 tackles and 142 SuperCoach points.
9:55: THE STORY OF THE NIGHT CONTINUES
The tale of Showdown 55 has remained true in recent minutes, as Port Adelaide failed to capitalise at one end of the ground before the Crows seized at the other.
Travis Boak lined up a good look at goal but missed a chance to make it a single-digit margin before the Crows went down the other end and kicked out to a 20-point lead.
Despite their dominance around the ground this term, the margin is now very difficult for the Power.
9:45: HORNE-FRANCIS STRIKES AGAIN
He couldn’t, could he?
Jason Horne-Francis has put Port Adelaide on his back in the past five minutes with two crucial majors and his latest has brought the Power back within 18 points.
He might silence the boos forever if he manages to drag the Power home here.
9:37: ROZEE, CURTIN DONE
Connor Rozee has been stunningly subbed out of tonight’s Showdown after re-injuring his hamstring.
Rozee entered the match under an injury cloud and was playing at his normal rate before hurting himself again late in the third.
He spent 12 minutes on the bench before returning for the final minutes of the quarter.
The Power captain has been subbed out for Jackson Mead.
Adelaide, meanwhile, has also made its substitute, with debutant Dan Curtin taken from the match for Brodie Smith.
Curtin appeared no chance to be subbed out when he had played 100 per cent game time halfway through the second term.
Curtin, who is owned by 10 per cent of SuperCoaches and had a break even of 34, scored 41 on debut.
9:30: 3QT — HORNET BREATHES LIFE INTO POWER
Jason Horne-Francis has pushed life into Port Adelaide with a red-time goal.
The goal prevented the Power from going into the final change with back-to-back goalless terms.
Horne-Francis has moved forward to change the Power’s look inside 50, but it will be interesting to see if Ken Hinkley keeps him there with the lingering concerns around Connor Rozee’s hamstring.
Neither side is yet to inject their sub (Jackson Mead and Brodie Smith) into the game.
Power dasher Miles Bergman has surged up the SuperCoach leaderboard with 103 while Matt Crouch and Jake Soligo have been terrific all night.
9:25: ROZEE BACK ON
Connor Rozee has come back on the ground after 12 minutes on the interchange.
The Power need him to find his best as they trail by 28 points late in the third.
9:17: ROZEE OFF
Port Adelaide captain Connor Rozee has been off the ground for eight minutes after appearing to pull up sore from a contest.
Rozee has looked dejected since reaching the bench but sub Jackson Mead has hardly warmed up in that time.
Ken Hinkley said he expected critics to come if Rozee re-injured his hamstring in a Power defeat.
“I expect if we don’t get the job done, questions are going to be asked,” he said pre-game
The Power’s last seven scores have been behinds.
9:10: A RANKINE SPECIAL
Adelaide excitement machine Izak Rankine has added to his growing highlight reel with a Showdown special.
Rankine was given a minor opportunity in the pocket in front of the famous hill and, off one step, he executed the banana perfectly.
Rankine’s goal, which pushes the Crows out to a 31-point lead, forced Dale Thomas to call him “ a delight to watch” on Channel 7’s coverage.
Jake Soligo is still the best player on the ground with 90 SuperCoach points.
Izak the entertainer!#AFLCrowsPowerpic.twitter.com/aWhseQqv3d
— AFL (@AFL) May 2, 2024
9:02: PERFECT START FOR CROWS
Taylor Walker has given the Crows the perfect start to the second half.
His second goal just a minute in has pushed Adelaide out to a 25-point lead.
The set shot was close to being stopped on the line by Brandon Zerk-Thatcher but the goal umpire deemed it a goal.
The Power need to find something if they are to break Adelaide’s Showdown streak.
8:41: HT — SOLIGO SHINES AGAINST WASTEFUL POWER
Adelaide’s Jake Soligo has pieced together a tremendous half of footy against a wasteful Port Adelaide.
The Crows midfielder has 17 disposals and three tackles to the main break.
The Crows kicked two goals while the Power added just three minor scores that term to extend their quarter-time lead.
Adelaide had seven straight goals at one point while the Power has just three goals from 10 shots on goal.
Soligo is second to only Matt Crouch (69 points) with 66 SuperCoach points.
Zak Butters has been excellent for Port Adelaide with 16 disposals.
8:30: HORNE-FRANCIS’ FROSTY WELCOME
Jason Horne-Francis is receiving a frosty reception from the Adelaide faithful whenever he gets the ball, with boos ringing around Adelaide Oval.
The Power midfielder has had seven disposals, each of them followed by a husky boo from the Crows’ crowd.
8:29: BAD KICKING IS BAD FOOTY
Port Adelaide is back in this contest, but has done it the hard way.
The Power have kicked just three goals from their 10 shots on goal, booting 3.7 to Adelaide’s six straight.
No specific Port forward is to blame, with the stray kicking seemingly contagious.
8:24: DEBUTANT WATCH
Highly-touted debutant Dan Curtin has had his moments early.
The eighth overall pick in last years national draft has had four disposals, three of them handballs, in his first quarter and a half of AFL.
For SuperCoaches that own Curtin, Matthew Nicks is showing little signs of subbing the debutant out, having not taken him from the ground yet.
8:18: QUIET KEAYS
Adelaide gun Ben Keays has had a quiet start to this match, with just two kicks three minutes into the second quarter.
Keays has been a barometer for the Crows as of late, particularly forward of centre.
The Crows will need him to find his best if they are to keep Port Adelaide at bay.
Keays has just 11 SuperCoach points.
8:10: QT — PORT FIGHT BACK LATE
Port Adelaide has fought back into the contest with two important red-time goals.
Willie Rioli and Todd Marshall converted set shots late in a quarter where their side disposed of the ball poorly.
If it wasn’t for Travis Boak’s overturned goal, it would have been three consecutive goals for the Power.
Matt Crouch in game 150 has been excellent and has 46 SuperCoach points to quarter time to show for it.
8:01: ONE BACK FOR THE CROWS
It hasn’t always been its friend, but the score review has been kind to Adelaide here.
After Port Adelaide veteran Travis Boak sidestepped and goaled to deliver his side a much-needed goal, the score review deemed it to have hit the post.
The ball had been taken back to the middle of the ground after the goal umpire approved of the fine finish but it was rushed back to the goal square.
The Crows still lead five goals to one late in the first quarter.
7:58: POWER FAILING BY FOOT
Port Adelaide is failing to work into this match due to its inefficiency by foot.
The Power are kicking the ball at just 31 per cent at this stage of the first term, which has played a massive role in the Crows’ five-goal-to-one start.
7:45: CROWS OFF TO SOME START
Adelaide is off to a rattling start, kicking the first three majors of the night.
Taylor Walker kicked the Crows’ third, which came from just its third inside 50.
At the other end, the Power have had seven entries for one minor score.
Walker is one of the major ball winners so far with three disposals.
7:40: FOG HAS TWO
Darcy Fogarty is on fire!
The Crows’ spearhead has taken two strong contested marks for two goals to kickstart his side.
Fogarty has the only two goals for the game, inside two minutes of play.
7: 36: IT LOOKS OK FROM HERE!
Connor Rozee has given an early indication of his fitness with a clever snap on his injured hamstring.
It missed across the face but the Power captain’s lack of hesitation was a hint of how comfortable he is.
7:20: ‘THANK YOU SLOANEY’
Adelaide great Mark Ricciuto has followed the touching Adelaide Oval tribute for Rory Sloane by singing his praises.
Ricciuto said “everyone wants players like Rory Sloane at your footy club” during the Fox Footy pre-game coverage.
“I think he’s universally admired, the Port people will be standing up for him tonight,” he said.
When asked by Jason Dunstall to describe Sloane in one word, Ricciuto was quick to announce “selfless” as his choice.
7:05: KEN EXPECTS ROZEE HAMMY HEAT
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley expects critics to quickly assemble if captain Connor Rozee’s hamstring proves underdone.
Rozee went off with a hamstring during last week's win over St Kilda and told Channel 7’s Brian Taylor post-game that he had “a nick” in right leg.
Rozee has got up for the Showdown but his fitness remains one of the biggest watches of the night.
Chatting to Adelaide champion Mark Ricciuto pre-game, Hinkley says he expects questions to be asked if Rozee doesn’t look at his damaging best.
“I expect if we don’t get the job done, questions are going to be asked,” he said.
7:00: NICKS: ‘WE’RE READY’
Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks has declared his side “ready to go” for Thursday nights Showdown.
Speaking to Fox Footy pre-game, Nicks said the “different edge” to the bi-annual clashes with the Power allowed him to tone down the inspirational speeches during the week.
“There hasn't been much need for me to inspire them tonight,” he said.
“We’re ready to go against a really good side.”
6:38: FINAL TEAMS, TOP PICK TO START
Adelaide debutant Daniel Curtin will get a clean run at his first AFL match by starting on the ground in tonight’s Showdown.
Brodie Smith will be the Crows’ substitute instead.
Jackson Mead will be Port Adelaide’s sub.
Neither side has had a late change.
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