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Port Adelaide fans should embrace tough draw
MFairPlay
Roar Guru
30th October, 2014
11
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MFairPlay
Roar Guru
30th October, 2014
11

Excitement should come to mind when Port Adelaide Power fans see the 2015 AFL fixture.

Port Adelaide proved this year they can contend with the best, so Power fans should not be frightened with what they see over the 23 rounds for next season.

There was much talk yesterday about Port Adelaide’s tough start to the season with Fremantle, Sydney, North Melbourne, Hawthorn and Adelaide in the first five rounds.

All of those games have a story in them too. Can Fremantle get revenge for the semi-final loss? How will Sydney deal with the start to the season, slowly yet again? Can Port break the hoodoo they have with North Melbourne?

Hawthorn plays Port Adelaide at the end of Anzac Day, which is guaranteed to be huge clash in front of a monster crowd for the preliminary final rematch. For the Crows, does Phil Walsh’s inside knowledge give Adelaide the upper hand in what will be another cut throat showdown?

Port Adelaide’s start to the season will definitely tell the AFL community whether they are up for the challenge, otherwise it may be the season which got away if they lose against Fremantle, Hawthorn, Sydney and Adelaide twice.

Most footy fans would’ve been surprised with the Power receiving back-to-back Thursday night games, both set to draw big TV audiences as they are against Collingwood and Sydney.

A new rivalry has been brewing ever since Angus Monfries left the Bombers and now the battle Essendon will have against Port Adelaide will have extra bite following Patrick Ryder’s exit during the offseason. Unfortunately we have to wait until Round 17 to see Ryder come face to face with his old team mates.

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The ledger between the Power and the Bombers favours Port Adelaide by just three wins.

With Port Adelaide predicted to make finals and a favourite to be in the top four, their final three games, Hawthorn away, Gold Coast away and Fremantle at home will prepare them to be in peak condition for September.

The club based at Alberton has been labelled as one of the most exciting teams to watch with their quick transition football. The AFL definitely wants to showcase their playing style as they rewarded Port Adelaide 10 night games, with nine of their matches also set for national broadcast on Channel Seven.

The tough fixture was inevitable for Port Adelaide as they came third on the ladder after the finals. However, for fans the draw has to been seen as a glass half full. Out of the teams Port Adelaide will play twice they did reasonably well against them last season.

The Power defeated Adelaide in the first Showdown then the Crows got revenge in Round 15. They defeated Hawks at Adelaide Oval in Round 10 and only went down by a single figure margin in the preliminary final against the eventual premiers.

Port played Fremantle three times this year and beat them twice, one home and one away. They also won the important match against them, an elimination final.

Port Adelaide did lose to Sydney twice during the 2014 home-and-away season. Sydney was too good in both games. The Swans won by four points at the SCG in the first meeting and in the second Sydney outplayed the Power who wasted opportunities in front out goal.

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If Port Adelaide continues on from their 2014 form, we are set to see more enthralling and entertaining games from them in 2015.

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