Showdown 54 Adelaide Crows v Port Adelaide: The full teams and how the Saturday night blockbuster will be won
Can the Crows keep their season alive? Or will the Power end their final chances as it marches towards its own September dream? Teams, key-match ups, full stats and expert analysis.
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Adelaide and Port Adelaide do battle at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night with the Showdown ledger 27-26 in the Power’s way.
Can the Crows even things up and keep their season alive?
Or will Ken Hinkley’s side all-but end Adelaide’s finals chances on their own march towards September?
Simeon Thomas-Wilson breaks down everything you need to know and looks at where the game will be won.
KEY MATCH-UPS
Taylor Walker v Aliir Aliir
After signing a new deal to take him into 2024 this week, Walker spoke of his love of taking on Port Adelaide and how he would love to land a big blow to the Power’s hopes of finishing in the top two. But the Crows talisman has been quiet in Showdowns in recent years. Aliir was a big player in the earlier Showdown and will be hoping to keep Walker to another quiet night.
Jordan Dawson v Willem Drew
The Power were stoked with the job Drew did on Nick Daicos last week. So does he get the task of quelling the Crows most damaging player in Dawson? With the Crows captain now entrenched in the midfield, there is a good chance their paths will cross.
Mark Keane v Todd Marshall
The Irishman will be thrown into the fire as he plays his first AFL game since he was at Collingwood in 2021. Keane’s debut for Adelaide comes after Nick Murray’s season-ending ACL injury last week. The Crows are fans of Keane’s natural talent and believe he can be a player for them in the future. But it will be a tough test first up, and Marshall could benefit.
WHERE THE GAME WILL BE WON
In most Showdowns, you would say it will be the midfield battle where the game is won, and it will be vital on Saturday night as Connor Rozee, Zak Butters, Jordan Dawson and Rory Laird go head-to-head. But with the Crows’ injuries in defence, it could now come down to whether Matthew Nicks’ side can keep Port Adelaide at bay. Murray’s ACL injury, adding to Tom Doedee’s, means that the Crows will be calling on Keane, Josh Worrell and Max Michalenney to hold off the Power’s tall forwards. Charlie Dixon, Todd Marshall, Jeremy Finlayson and Sam Powell-Pepper will be licking their lips at the prospect of exploiting the Crows defence. Up the other end of the park, the Crows will need their tall trio of Taylor Walker, Darcy Fogarty and Riley Thilthorpe to fire, especially with Izak Rankine and Josh Rachele missing. The absence of those two to injury and suspension, respectively, means the Crows will need to find a spark if they are to trouble a Power defence that loves to rebound and counter through Dan Houston and Kane Farrell, but can be hurt the other way if there is a turnover.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
The Showdown always means something to each team, with bragging rights up for grabs in arguably the league’s best rivalry. But there’s plenty on the line for each side on Saturday. The Crows have the most at stake, with their finals chances hanging in the balance. While they have been in the top eight for most of the year, three losses in a row, and just one win in their last four games, have the Crows now 13th and needing a win against the Power to keep their September dreams alive. The Power also has plenty at stake. After going 13-games unbeaten, the Power has lost its last two. While Ken Hinkley’s side is assured of a finals spot, it is now in a battle to hold onto a top-two spot on the ladder after losses to Carlton and Collingwood. This now leaves Port a win above Brisbane in third but the Lions have a far superior percentage than the Power. And with a trip to Geelong next week, where they haven’t won since 2007, the Power will want to get back on the winners list as it looks to secure a home qualifying final.
WHO’S MISSING FROM BEST 23?
Adelaide
The injuries to Rankine (hamstring) and Murray (ACL) add to Doedee’s season-ending knee injury and Rachele’s suspension for striking. It leaves them short at both ends of the ground through tall, intercepting defenders and sparks up forward.
Port Adelaide
The Power come in with arguably missing just the one player – Willie Rioli through suspension – from its best 23. And this is with captain Tom Jonas out of the side. Young key forward Mitch Georgiades is recovering from an ACL injury but he was on the fringes of the Power’s 23 before his injury.
THE STATS THAT MATTERS
Adelaide
The Crows rank No. 12 for points conceded, No. 14 for opposition scores per inside 50 entries and No. 14 for points conceded from clearances.
Port Adelaide
The Power rank No. 3 for points scored, No. 6 for scores per inside 50 entries and No. 1 for points scored from clearances.
TAB ODDS
Adelaide $2.80
Port Adelaide $1.44
PREDICTION
After losing its past two, expect the Power to come back with a vengeance. Adelaide is without two of its key sparks in attack in Rankine and Rachele but it is at the other end where the concern looms for the Crows. After losing in round 3, Port should get some revenge on Adelaide.
Showdown teams: Port’s double shock, Crows get big boost
Port Adelaide star Travis Boak won’t be in the starting 22 for the Showdown, while the Power will also manage ruckman Scott Lycett for the clash against its fierce rivals.
At West Lakes, the Crows have handed a debut to Irishman Mark Keane to fix their key defender shortage and Rory Laird returns.
Lycett didn’t train at Alberton on Thursday as he battles an ongoing knee injury.
Boak, a former captain of the club and its AFL games record holder, trained with the twos, with the Power announcing he will be the tactical substitute on Saturday night.
Ken Hinkley’s side will also be without Willie Rioli as he serves his one-match suspension for striking Collingwood’s Nathan Murphy.
Port Adelaide regains leadership group member Darcy Byrne-Jones after he exited the AFL’s concussion protocols, while young ruckman Dante Visentini gets a second crack this season in place of Lycett.
Visentini made his AFL debut against Essendon in Round 16 as an extremely late inclusion for Lycett, with the 20-year-old having to get re-strapped – while his parents made a mad dash for the MCG.
Over at the Crows, Keane will play his first AFL game since he was at Collingwood in 2021, coming in for injured defender Nick Murray, whose season is over after he suffered an ACL rupture against Melbourne on Sunday.
Crows footy boss Adam Kelly said Keane would become the first international rookie to debut for Adelaide.
“In January this year, Mark played in the Championship winning All Ireland Junior Club Hurling Final with Ballygiblin,” Kelly said.
“In July he is making his debut with our club, in a Showdown, what a year he is having.
“After only arriving in Australia in February, Mark got to work and has shown steady progression throughout the SANFL season.
“He belies his relative inexperience in the game with his ability to intercept, show composure and use the footy to good effect, while also enjoying the combative nature of the game.”
Star midfielder Laird returns for the Crows after he sat out the loss to the Demons with a shoulder injury, while Max Michalanney will play after he was rested.
Laird’s inclusion doesn’t come at the expense of Matt Crouch, with the two to play in the same midfield against the Power, despite concerns that they are too similar of players.
“Having each played the opening 17 games of the season Rory and Max are welcomed inclusions into the team after missing last week’s game against Melbourne,” Kelly said.
“We all know just how important Rory has been to our midfield over the past few seasons, he consistently delivers and impacts the result of games.
“While Max has been outstanding for a first-year player who is often asked to negate some of the very best forwards in the game.”
Brayden Cook has been omitted by the Crows, who also lose Izak Rankine to a hamstring injury.
Cook, Jake Soligo, Ned McHenry and Elliott Himmelberg are in line to be the Crows tactical sub.
ADELAIDE v PORT ADELAIDE
Saturday July 29, 7:10pm at Adelaide Oval
CROWS
B: B.Smith, J.Butts, M.Keane
HB: M.Michalanney, J.Worrell, W.Milera
C: C.Jones, J.Dawson – C, M.Hinge
HF: B.Keays, D.Fogarty, S.McAdam
F: L.Pedlar, T.Walker, H.Schoenberg
FOLL: R.O’Brien, R.Laird, M.Crouch
I/C: R.Thilthorpe, R.Sloane, L.Murphy, L.Nankervis
EMG: J.Soligo, B.Cook, E.Himmelberg, N.McHenry
In: M.Keane, M.Michalanney, R.Laird
Out: B.Cook (Omitted), N.Murray (Injured), I.Rankine (Injured), J.Hately (Sub)
POWER
B: L.Jones, T.McKenzie, D.Houston
HB: K.Farrell, A.Aliir, R.Burton
C: M.Bergman, W.Drew, X.Duursma
HF: Z.Butters, T.Marshall, J.McEntee
F: D.Byrne-Jones, C.Dixon, S.Powell-Pepper
FOLL: D.Visentini, O.Wines – C, C.Rozee
I/C: D.Williams, J.Finlayson, J.Horne-Francis, F.Evans
EMG: J.Burgoyne, T.Boak, O.Lord, Q.Narkle
In: D.Byrne-Jones, D.Visentini
Out: T.Boak (Managed), W.Rioli (Suspension), S.Lycett (Managed)
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