The Lowdown: The Showdown finally gets the prime time spot it deserves
On a Friday night in 2022, the AFL had a bet each way with another game held alongside a Showdown in prime time. But Thursday is different – can the Crows and Power live up to the billing?
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It is Showdown week and finally the fierce rivalry between Adelaide and Port Adelaide gets a stand-alone prime-time slot when the two clash on Thursday night.
The Power overcame injuries to three key players to beat St Kilda, while the Crows come into the Showdown on the back of a comfortable win over North Melbourne and with a desire to honour one of their current greats.
Here are the likes and dislikes this week in The Lowdown.
LIKES
1. Captain’s back
A couple of weeks ago we wrote in this column that Adelaide skipper Jordan Dawson was in a funk. He has well and truly snapped out of it. After that huge second quarter against Essendon in Round 6, the Crows captain backed this up against North Melbourne in Hobart on Saturday. Yes it was the winless Roos but Dawson has his mojo back. He ended up with 27 disposals, nine marks, four marks, three tackles and a goal against the Roos. He also had 11 score involvements, but the disposal efficiency was still at 67 per cent. The Crows need this to be in the 70s but it looks like Dawson is returning to the form he showed over the last two years. And for the Crows what a time with the Showdown coming up.
2. Thursday night Showdown
Finally those who had to be convinced were, and the Showdown gets the prime time spot it deserves. The famous Dawson winner was on a Friday night in 2022 but the AFL had a bet each way with a Melbourne v Essendon game held earlier that evening. But Thursday night’s clash will have nothing competing against it, giving the Showdown the stand-alone spot South Australia knows it should have – and those who actually experience then come to agree with. A couple of weeks ago despite the prime time billing, it looked like it could be an ugly one. Yes, we know that standings go out the window when it comes to Showdowns but the Crows were downright ugly. Now they at least come into the game off a win and with some confidence under their belts. And the Power have copped some big injuries and will be desperate to regain bragging rights after dropping the last two to the Crows.
3. Willem Drew
Could Drew be leading the Power’s best-and-fairest award? The unheralded midfielder would have to be close, having made a very consistent start to the season. He is averaging a career-high in Champion Data rankings points (104.4), disposals (20.1) and inside 50s (4.71). Drew goes under the radar and that is probably how he likes it. But he was elevated to the leadership group during the off-season and was now one of the club’s most important players. Drew is a workhorse who runs hard both ways and is as team-first as they come. On Friday night, the 25-year-old was instrumental to his side’s 10-point win over St Kilda in a game it lost three players to injury and was rewarded by being voted as the winner of the Peter Badcoe Medal. That honour is not for the best on ground, but rather the player who most displays the Anzac spirit of selflessness, courage in adversity and mateship. Coach Ken Hinkley told ABC Sport that Drew typified those behaviours. “He’s one of those blokes that you know is so popular in your footy club because they do everything for everyone else,” Hinkley said.
DISLIKES
1. Losing Rory Sloane to retirement
The Crows have had warriors over the years but none quite like Rory Sloane. He arrived as a late pick (No. 44) in the 2008 national draft with hardly any external expectations and quickly endeared himself to fans across the league because of his fierce attack on the footy, never-say-die attitude on field and positive approach off it. On Monday, he retired for the sake of his long-term health because of a second surgery for a detached retina – the latest in a series of unusual injuries. Adelaide supporters, teammates and coaches always knew what they would get with Sloane – a contest, his absolute best and whatever the team needed. His highlight reels are filled with tackles, smothers and efforts putting his body on the line, as well as that bruising collision with great mate Patrick Dangerfield in the 2017 preliminary final win over Geelong. Sloane’s accolades include two Malcolm Blight Medals as best-and-fairest, one game representing Victoria, two All-Australian blazers, captaining the club and winning a Showdown Medal. But his biggest legacy is his influence on his teammates and in inspiring the next generation that you can become an AFL champion despite not being fast or the longest or neatest kick. While his decision to retire is totally understandable given he is 34 and has a young family, it is a shame an injury has prompted it and we will not be able to watch the Adelaide great in action one last time.
2. Losing Sam Powell-Pepper for the season
Before the Power took on Melbourne in Round 3 Hinkley was asked about the key outs the Demons might have had for the clash. He made sure it was known that the Power were without Powell-Pepper because of his pre-season suspension. Losing Powell-Pepper for 2024 after he suffered an ACL injury is a big blow for the Power. In his three games this year, he has had 14 tackles. The leading Port Adelaide forward when it comes to this stat is Darcy Byrne-Jones with 18, and he has played four more games than the Power’s barometer. Hinkley’s side love to play a front half game and lock the ball in their forward 50, Powell-Pepper is a big part of this as evident by his elevation to the leadership group this year in one of the best stories at Alberton. Mitch Georgiades might end up playing smaller with Jeremy Finlayson serving his ban for using a homophobic slur, but how do the Power replace Powell-Pepper’s pressure?
3. What does Nicks do with his defence?
The Crows got the win over the Roos but will there be any concern about just how many points they conceded. It was the second highest score the Roos have kicked this year and Cam Zurhaar – who has barely done anything this year – kicked 3.3. This might mean James Borlase is back in the SANFL, with Jordon Butts getting through the Crows’ state league game against North Adelaide. Will Hamill also touched the ball just the seven times. Top draft pick Daniel Curtin now has fans clamouring for him to debut after 31 disposals, seven marks and a goal but he hasn’t really been playing as a key defender and could you blood him in a Showdown?
AND THE LOWDOWN ON …
One of the traditions of the Showdown is no more. It is always a sight, and an interesting one of that, of the Crows and Power coaches standing next to each other at the Showdown coaches media conference and answer questions about how much they want to beat the other team or how much they hate their rivals. And on some occasions we have that delightful photo of them together holding the shield. But as part of the new agreement with Variety, the coaches are no longer required to do a media conference together. In 2022 despite the Round 23 Showdown being a dead-rubber there was plenty of spice and theatre to it in the build-up. A big part of this was that the coaches did separate media conferences, with the Crows expecting a joint presser. Earlier that year ahead of the Round 3 Showdown Adelaide pushed ahead to have a solo media conference and left Hinkley waiting for 15 minutes. It is easier for the football departments, but are we losing one of the best bits of Showdown week?
Originally published as The Lowdown: The Showdown finally gets the prime time spot it deserves
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