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Power, Demons the one to watch

(Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)
Roar Guru
21st June, 2018
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A Friday night brawl between Port Adelaide and Melbourne at Adelaide Oval looks certain to headline an otherwise unassuming Round 14 of the Australian Football League.

With Port Adelaide and Melbourne likely finalists come the end of the home and away season, reputations and mental advantages will be on the line from the opening whistle.

Melbourne will enter the match in fourth spot on the ladder with eight wins and and four losses, with Port Adelaide not far behind with the same ledger in seventh.

Port Adelaide now finds itself at the final challenge of an unofficial ‘big boy month’ – taking on Richmond, the Western Bulldogs, Gold Coast, Hawthorn and Adelaide in recent weeks and coming away with four wins from five starts – a strong showing.

A win against Melbourne would cap off this moderately tough spell with a big tick and leave the Power poised for a possible top four finish.

Following the Demons, Port Adelaide will face a string of lacklustre outfits – namely Fremantle, Carlton, St Kilda and Greater Western Sydney.

Port Adelaide senior coach Ken Hinkley touched on this during the week.

“We’ve had a really good, consistent run over a four or five week period,” Hinkley said.

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“It’s a big game. Friday night game, two teams who are level on points on the ladder and striving to finish as high as we possibly can on the ladder.

“We both play a pretty similar brand, we play a contested style of football and it’s going to be on. I’m expecting a pretty fierce contest.

“I think whoever hangs in there the longest will end up in front and we just hope it’s us.

“Melbourne are strong, their contested ball is outstanding inside and they’ve got some dangers in the front half now in Hogan and McDonald. They’ve got those running half backs too.

“I’d call them a ready made team now. They’re ready to play some high level football.

“There’s going to be some fireworks out there early.”

With the exception of a loss to Collingwood the last time they played, Melbourne is likewise enjoying a positive run – four wins from its last five matches.

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Fans anticipating a grudge match between these two sides will be sadly let down – with Port Adelaide opting not to play either Jack Watts or Jack Trengrove – both former Demons.

For Melbourne Dom Tyson is back, adding another quality name to an already bolstered midfield.

If Tyson’s return doesn’t make the Power faithful nervous a cursory glance at recent clashes between the pair probably should.

The last time they met was in Round 18 of 2017 – with Melbourne recording a 23-point win at the MCG.

Before that it was Melbourne by 40 points at Adelaide Oval in August of 2016 and Melbourne again in May of the same year, getting up by 45 points at TIO Park.

For mine the player to watch will once again be Port Adelaide full forward Charlie Dixon.

Dixon has had a quietly underwhelming season, kicking a season best tally of three goals against the Western Bulldogs in Round 13.

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That triple-major effort is Dixon’s only multiple goal haul this season and after a spark of contest in a big win against the Dogs, it will be interesting to see if he manages to take it further against Melbourne – or reverts back into his shell.

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