The Adelaide Crows have comprehensively won the 43rd Showdown in wet conditions at the Adelaide Oval winning by 84 points, a record high margin in the history of this contest.
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Final score
Adelaide Crows 18.22.130
Port Adelaide Power 7.4.46
Showdown! A critical South Australian derby will close the round, as the Adelaide Crows face the Port Adelaide Power at the Adelaide Oval. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog from 4:40pm AEST (4.10pm ACST).
Every time the Power and the Crows play each other there’s a great deal of pride of stake. This evening there is much more than that on the line.
Adelaide sit comfortably on top of the ladder – even more so after the Cats’ loss earlier in the round. But with the Giants and the Tigers breathing down their neck, and a tricky fixture to come, the Crows can’t afford to let their game-plus-percentage buffer slip.
Port Adelaide for their part sit just outside the top four, and every chance of pushing up into that top bracket by season’s end with their excellent percentage.
Of course, they’ll have to rely on other teams slipping up to push higher on the ladder, so it’s imperative they take every opportunity presented to them.
Not only are both teams in the midst of a frenetic sprint towards the finals, but they’re both backing up from extraordinary matches last week.
The Power appeared gone at home to the Saints before Robbie Gray’s magnificent last second goal gave them a two point win.
Adelaide trailed by 50 points at one stage against Collingwood at the MCG, but they had their own hero in Mitch McGovern, whose spectacular mark and goal after the siren ensured a share of the points.
If this evening’s game is anything like either of those we have plenty to look forward to.
At selection, the top of the ladder Crows have made three unforced changes, dropping Andy Otten, Wayne Milera and Paul Seedsman to bring back Brad Crouch, Jake Lever and Eddie Betts.
Those are some significant inclusions.
Port Adelaide lose Matthew Broadbent to injury and also leave out Matt White, with Aidyn Johnson and Angus Monfries their replacements.
Monfries is playing his first senior game since 2015. It’s fitting he returns for this matchup, as he was responsible for one of the most memorable moments in Showdown history, the famous off-break goal that gave the Power a four point win over their crosstown rivals in 2013.
Prediction
The Crows’ powerful forward line would often be considered a significant advantage in this kind of contest, and normally that would sway me in Adelaide’s favour.
But with heavy storms and winds predicted for South Australia this evening, I feel that will swing the balance back toward the team with a stronger midfield and possibly an advantage in contested possession.
So I’m tipping Port Adelaide in a squeaker. The Power by three points.
Fairsuckofthesav
Guest
Appalling TV coverage. No team song either.
Tfr
Guest
Don't think it's the coach fault for effort and the umps are always crap but we all deal with that
Basil
Guest
You've jumped off your team, want the coach sacked, had a go at the umpires, had a go at Eddie, and called the Crows weak. You're a pretty rational person I see.
J.C.
Roar Pro
Well im unsure which game was more embarrassing? This one or the Titans getting flogged 54-0.
Basil
Guest
Arrogance? Surely you've watched Wingard play?
Tfr
Guest
I sure did not ashamed to say so I don't mind getting smashed when we try but the effort was pathetic
TomC
Roar Guru
Match report The Adelaide Crows have comprehensively won the 43rd Showdown in wet conditions at the Adelaide Oval winning by 84 points, a record high margin in the history of this contest. It was complete domination by the top of the ladder Crows. Adelaide wrested control of the contested possession in the opening minutes. They peppered the goals early only to squander repeated opportunities, and in fact it was the Power who booted the first major of the game through Justin Westhoff. The Crows were well on top around the ground but managed just the one goal to quarter time, while they kicked nine behinds in the same period and other shots failed to score. In the second term the ladder leaders began to turn their advantage in general play into a sizable lead, as Port Adelaide simply couldn't get their hands on the ball. In the wet weather, the Crows went lower and harder at the contest. Sloane and the Crouch brothers were fierce in contested situations, while Sam Jacobs had the better of the ruck battle. The Power were barely a factor in the first half. You could blame the conditions, or a lack of application, or maybe the nailbiting win last week took it out of them, but whatever the cause they were listless, tentative and uninspiring all evening. Even though the Crows continued to be wasteful in front of goal, they went into half time with a six goal lead, as weight of possession and territory eventually told. The scoreboard told one story at the main break, but the other stats told a rather more dramatic one. The Crows had 93 more disposals, 16 more scoring shots, and had an extraordinary lead in the inside 50s – 43 to 11 in a full half of football. When Betts and Jacobs kicked the first two goals of the third term to open up a 57 to 9 lead, it was clear there wasn't going to be a dramatic shift in the back end of this game. With the game gone the Power began to find a little more fight, putting some more meat on that thin scoreline with three goals for the quarter, but Adelaide had five of their own to further extend the lead. As we ran out time on the game it unsurprisingly didn't improve much as a contest. The Crows still seemed to be the hungrier of the two teams, and by the end pushed the margin up to that record level of 84 points. Sam Jacobs was awarded the Showdown Medal – his third – and his superiority over Patrick Ryder in this game might well influence All Australian selection in a few weeks. These two sides have the best percentage of any of this year's teams, so the size of the margin today is unlikely to mean much in the final analysis. But the ramifications of the result are significant. The Crows are a win and a draw clear of second spot with three games to play, and are now close to certainties to host in the first week of the finals. Given their form at Adelaide Oval lately – particularly today – they very much have the inside running on their first grand final berth since 1998. Port Adelaide now lose touch with the top four, but they remain a game and percentage inside the top 8. Their draw from here looks fairly kind, so they'd be confident of playing finals still, but obviously they'd want to finish the season more strongly than what they showed in tonight's encounter. And you really have to wonder what impact this might have on the confidence of the Power players. This was arguably the biggest occasion of the season so far for this team, and yet at times they just seemed to have no appetite for the contest, certainly compared to their opponents. Ken Hinkley has a lot of work to do to pick his side up from this performance.
TomC
Roar Guru
Cheers AD. Hope you got something out of the day.
GJ
Guest
Suspect you have switched off right about now ..
TomC
Roar Guru
Well, the TV coverage has cut away before the awarding of the Showdown medal, but it has deservedly been won by Sam Jacobs, who comfortably won his matchup against Patrick Ryder today. This performance might well be considered when the All Australian selectors meet.
GJ
Guest
Did you throw a banana at the tv?
GJ
Guest
You should try the Crows
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Well, I'm just beginning my journey home. Fantastic to head to the lovely oval, and I guess I wanted a Crows win, but I'd still say it was a rather disappointing game to watch. Thanks so much for the blog Tom. You did a good job for the game that was played. have a good weekend!
TomC
Roar Guru
Full time: Adelaide 18.22.130 Port Adelaide 7.4.46
TomC
Roar Guru
GOAL PORT A consolation goal on the final siren for the Power. Actually a ripping kick from Dixon outside 50. On another day that'd get the fans going. Not tonight though.
TomC
Roar Guru
GOAL ADELAIDE Betts with a mark and goal to further blow out this rather sad game. Adelaide 130 Port 40
TomC
Roar Guru
There's something objectionable about this game winding up in the history books.
TomC
Roar Guru
GOAL ADELAIDE Taylor Walker marks uncontested and converts from 30m out. That makes the margin 84 points, and we're currently sitting at a record result between these two sides. 3 minutes for the Power to kick one and avoid that unwanted milestone.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Well, there we go. Biggest margin in Showdown history.
TomC
Roar Guru
The biggest margin in Showdown history is 83 points. The Crows currently lead by 78 with just over 5 minutes of gametime to play, so it's well within their sights.