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Fire up! It's Showdown week

Roar Guru
23rd March, 2014
10

After the tragic loss of Mick Jagger’s partner L’Wren Scott, the Showdown takes the Rolling Stones’ place for the grand reopening of Adelaide Oval.

It is now an opening which revolves around the sporting culture of the famous Oval as young men exhibit the capabilities of the human body.

South Australia is now split in two. One half belongs to the men at West Lakes while the other half is known as the Alberton Crowd.

Showdown XXXVI has more on then line than bragging rights, but which South Australian-based club owns the new Adelaide Oval.

It is set to go bang! A sell-out crowd will file into the redeveloped stadium Saturday afternoon ready to see a start to a new era in South Australian football. The experience will include pre-game drinks in your beloved footy circles and pre-game entertainment.

After the much anticipated clash, You Am I and Spiderbait performs at Memorial Drive. And for the winning team’s fans, celebrations will continue through the night at the heart of Adelaide.

Most showdown hype starts the Monday before the game but Showdown XXXVI’s anticipation began as soon as a football bounced at a right angle for Angus Monfries.

The second Showdown of 2013 proved that two minutes worth of footy can change a good week to a bad week or vice-versa for Power fans.

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Being the closet margin a showdown has had and was dubbed as the best SA derby ever. It started the hype for Adelaide Oval’s first match on top of the priceless bragging rights.

More angst was created when Crows fans expressed their disgust for the first Showdown at Adelaide Oval to be a Port Adelaide home game when the 2014 fixture was announced.

Then months later, the Crows fired back revealing the tribute guernsey to acknowledge the history of South Australian football.

This caused social media wars to break out, as the footy world was split, siding with the opinion of whether the move was a symbol of disrespect or an appropriate sign of recognition for such an event being the return of league football to the centre of Adelaide.

Now the week has arrived and the media will be lively.

Will it be Trigg or Koch to start the media banter between the two clubs? What journalist writes an article that causes a fan-base to turn on them? Which player will make a bold statement claiming why they will win the game?

Justin Westhoff has already expressed his desire to win the big game by stating he wants to tell his grandchildren that he was a part of team that won the first ever Showdown at Adelaide Oval.

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Crows and Power fans will hang on every last tip they hear from the media on Thursday night, looking on as figures in the public eye side with their team or the arch rival.

For the non-South Australian neutrals that have no allegiance with neither club this will still be a game to watch.

Two clubs with relatively large expectations will battle out to help gain momentum to reach the top eight it will be a fiery clash of talent, putting everything on the line. It’ll be good to the eye as there should be a mix of tough contested play and slick, running movement of the sherrin.

Alipate Carlile looks to be a likely return to Port Adelaide’s side after an impressive performance in the reserves on Saturday and it’s most likely that young Tom Clurey will make way for him.

Aaron Young also put his hand up for selection, collecting 30 possessions and two goals for the Port Magpies. If Young did come into the team it would be for veteran Domenic Cassisi who was subbed out of Round 1’s game against Carlton not having an inspiring performance and pulling up with a sore calf.

It’s unlikely for Adelaide to make any changes to their side which gave Geelong a run for their money for three quarters on Thursday night. There are rumours Richard Douglas could make a shock return from a groin injury, his impact as a sub could assist Crows for a showdown victory.

Lewis Johnston was also reported during Thursday night’s clash for rough conduct, if he is rubbed out for Round 2; Josh Jenkins is the appropriate replacement.

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There are many questions which will be answered game day. Will Justin Westhoff return to his cult showdown hero tag? Is this the game “Pods” and Betts stamp their authority on the competition as a forward duo to fear?

There are countless more questions to be answered.

No matter what happens between now and Saturday, this is set to be a colossal battle.

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