The Lowdown: All the likes and dislikes from round 20
Port Adelaide got a lot wrong in the 98-point defeat their crosstown rivals — but one moment stood out as lazy and disrespectful. See all the R20 likes and dislikes in The Lowdown.
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Adelaide’s blistering form in the last three weeks has put them on equal footing with Collingwood as premiership favourites, but the Power had a Showdown fade-out to forget.
The on-field gap between the cross-town rivals has widened to a canyon – could it affect the decision of the hottest man in football?
Here are our likes and dislikes from round 20.
LIKES
BRING ON THE ‘TRI-SERIES’
It used to be a staple of the Australian summer. Most cricket fans would tell you they want the discarded ODI tournament format to return.
Now Crows, Hawks and Magpies fans will get their triangular series fix over the next three rounds in the ladder-shaping “battle of the birds”.
Adelaide already has a strong claim to top-seed status on the back of its brilliant last three weeks.
The Crows picked the Western Bulldogs’ defence apart with their foot skills at Docklands, then crushed Gold Coast in a performance that soared in value following the Suns’ own thumping win over Brisbane.
The Showdown could have easily turned into a 30-to-40-point arm wrestle on a drenched Adelaide Oval surface, but those competition leading ball skills were on display again in a dominant second half.
Adelaide gets to play both its tri-series games at home on either side of a trip to Perth to face West Coast, which will afford a chance to rest players.
Neither of the Crows’ looming opponents were convincing last weekend, and the games present a huge opportunity to inflict some psychological damage on the other contenders and clinch the minor premiership.
WHAT’S YOUR SIZE, JOSH?
Through either injuries or form, none of the big-name key defenders across the competition have been able to mount an unimpeachable case for All-Australian selection.
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera has a spot on the halfback flank locked away, but the only other certainty heading into the final month should be Josh Worrell, who was imperious again on Saturday night.
The 24-year-old has been missing from far too many rolling All-Australian sides, perhaps because he only came into the season with 30 games under his belt.
But with Michalanney poised to miss 4-6 weeks and Jordon Butts (chest) still sidelined, Worrell will have the stage to show his importance to the humming Crows backline.
Such is Worrell’s versatility that in his milestone 50th game on Friday night against Hawthorn, he could bounce between 195cm Calsher Dear and 170cm Nick Watson.
The left-footer is the competition leader for intercept possessions and is beating his opponents to the ball at ground level with his speed as much as he is doing it in the air.
“We’re putting a lot of pressure on the ball carrier, so it’s making my life a lot easier down back,” he said modestly last month.
Worrell will have to acknowledge his own sparkling form at the end of this campaign, though – if he plays his role against the Hawks, the AFL can go ahead and order his blazer.
SMART BUSINESS
A new three-year contract was the right outcome for the Crows and Reilly O’Brien – regardless of whether the Crows still get their hands on Essendon free agent Sam Draper.
The competition leader for hit-outs to advantage has found a new level recently with his impact around the ground, dropping behind the ball to reel in intercept marks and even pushing forward for just his third goal of the season in the Showdown.
Hemmed against the boundary line in the pocket, O’Brien tried not once, not twice, but three times to do the team thing and handball to Ben Keays for a shot from a better angle, but when the umpire continually intervened, he duly went back and delivered a banana finish that would make even Draper blush.
Darcy Fort (30 years old), Darcy Cameron (28) and Rhys Stanley (31) have been the last three No. 1 ruckmen in premiership sides.
Nearing his 30th birthday, the no-nonsense O’Brien matches their profile beautifully and will have no problems continuing to lead the line with support from Riley Thilthorpe if Draper remains on the eastern seaboard.
DISLIKES
LEAVING A SOUR TASTE
Few would have expected Port to trudge from the ground following the heaviest defeat in Ken Hinkley’s tenure when they arrived at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.
In the 13 years under Hinkley, the Power have – often to a fault – allowed emotion to govern their performances and spur some of their greatest victories.
But with their veteran coach entering his final month and last Showdown, the cupboard looked bare as the Power folded in conditions where they should have been able to force the Crows into a slog.
Basic errors plagued the wounded Power as much as the Crows’ superior skills – not one defender lifted a finger to prevent Ben Keays having three attempts at scoring a cheap handball from Reilly O’Brien from a mark in the forward pocket towards the end of the third quarter.
Only over-officious umpiring spared a handful of players from looking like spectators to a Keays snap goal.
At the other end in the final term, the forward group committed a cardinal sin when there was no one on the line to prevent Wayne Milera denying Mitch Georgiades a set shot goal from the boundary.
Georgiades kept flying for his marks and fought fiercely until the end – it was disrespectful from his teammates not to organise at least one tall on the line who could have easily shepherded through his shot.
Hinkley said his side had not waved the white flag in the 98-point loss, but his words after felt like they were aimed at his players ahead of his final four weeks in the job rather than the press.
“You don’t give up,” he said.
“You never stop trying in AFL footy. For players, every game you play, you should honour that game, and you should bring your absolute best, and you shouldn’t ever give up.
“Whether you’ve got four (games) left or you’ve got eight left, for some teams, you still should turn up and play in the right way.”
THE LOWDOWN ON …
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera just ensured wherever he puts his signature becomes one of the most biggest list management winners this century.
Both South Australian clubs have been highly confident the St Kilda superstar would choose to return home at the season’s end, but earlier this month the Saints seemed to be struck with renewed hope he could stay.
One thing for certain is that Wanganeen-Milera will be spending significant time in the middle of the ground wherever he plies his trade in 2026.
If Port Adelaide could retain Zak Butters and bring in the close mate of Jase Burgoyne and Jason Horne-Francis, it should throw the club and first-year coach Josh Carr immediately back into finals contention.
But if the Crows find room for the possible owner of the greatest individual minute of all time … good luck catching them next season.
An absolutely massive contract call awaits.
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Originally published as The Lowdown: All the likes and dislikes from round 20
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