The Ultimate Grudge Match – The Showdown
The AFL have manufactured many so-called grudge matches. Games like the Q Clash and the Battle of the Bridge which, as much as they try, they don’t hold a candle to the bitter and spiteful rivalry of the Crows and the Power. While they’re normally heated clashes, not even the Western Australian Derby’s (Darby) has the same intensity of pure hatred when they meet.
Some would argue the Cats and Hawks have the same rivalry as the Crows and Power, but both Geelong and Hawthorn seem to have some respect for each other, while the Showdown combatants have little or no respect for each other, leaving the Showdowns as the most anticipated and spiteful grudge matches each year.
Having said all the above, why has the AFL double billed this game on a Friday night, with the eastern states all offering the Dogs v the Dockers on the free to air channels?
It feels like a gutless decision.
Double billing this game on a Friday night is an insult to the history of Showdowns past, and then not offering it as the main course match on the free to air channels in the eastern states is the ultimate slap in the face to South Australian football.
For the record, I have no great love for either South Australian team, but Showdowns are meant for primetime television – they deserve it, and the AFL can surely allow one or two Friday nights a year to permit all Non-Victorian marquee clashes to have their moment on the national stage.
At times I turn my nose up at the notion of #vicbias, but not allowing clean air for this match to advertise all which is tribal and great about our great game is a slight on the AFL and their bean counters.
They should finally grow some balls, back the best of their product, and get it on as a standalone Friday Night fixture from next season. The game will be better off for it.
Showdown LIX – The Fight to Stay Relevant
The lads from West Lakes have a slight edge over the boys from Alberton with 30 Showdown wins to the Power’s 28, which brings us to Showdown 59; a game whereby the destiny of both teams in 2026 might just be decided.
Both the Crows and the Power have three wins thus far for the season, and at present they both reside in AFL purgatory, being the ladder positions from eleventh to fifteenth. A win to either team should have them in the top ten come the end of the round, while the loser will be licking their wounds, continuing to wallow in purgatory with their season on life support.
Opinions from the neutral supporters, including myself, suggest this is a 50/50 game with both teams evenly matched.
This should be a bloody ripper.
Showdown LIX was a Ripsnorter
Stand up both Adelaide and Port Adelaide and take a bow for arguably competing in the game of year thus far and shame on the AFL for not having this game as a standalone fixture on national free to air television.
The Last 90 Seconds
In a game of swings and turns, it looked like Wayne Milera was going to be the hero when he kicked a sealing goal with mere seconds left on the clock, however, for the second time in the second half a Crows goal was not to be (the other will be mentioned later). In this instance, the umpires deemed Josh Rachele had given away a free kick on the goal line meaning Milera’s goal was not allowed.
In the space of a split second the Power ran the ball the length of the ground to their forward 50 which led to a brilliant goal from young Power tyro Joe Berry, who kicked a great running goal across his body with 37 seconds left on the clock.
Berry’s goal put the Power five points in front, and it looked like Berry of the Joe variety had written himself into Showdown folklore, however 37 seconds can be an eternity in the Showdown’s and what unfolded next was edge of your seat excitement.
Daniel Curtin gathered the ball from Wayne Milera after he won the hard ball to stop the Power dead in their tracks at half forward, and then Curtin handballed to the Crow’s young tyro, Brayden Cook. He took his opportunity as he slotted the winner for the Crows on the run.
Finishes don’t get any better than this and it was great to see a few young players who didn’t shirk the issue in the final seconds having a real impact on the game.
Bravo to both Joe Berry and Brayden Cook. These are the moments that make you.
The Crows won a pulsating game 11:10:76 to the Power 11:09:75, so let’s take a gander at the rest game.
The First Half
Like many low scoring games which turn out to be thrillers, the first couple of quarters can be a bit, dare I say it, vanilla. The Crows dominated with the majority of play being inside their forward half, but they were unable to capitalise on their dominance, whereas the Power made the most of their limited inside forward 50s to lead by a goal at halftime.
With the Power kicking four goals to the Crows three goals to halftime, it would fair to say, apart from the closeness of the scoreboard, this game was on a slow train heading nowhere fast. As I was to discover, such sentiments underestimate the intensity and passion of Showdowns.
With big Jordon Sweet dominating the tap outs to halftime, Jason Horne-Francis, Zak Butters and Ollie Wines racked up the stoppage possessions to thwart the Crows run, and they were ably supported up back by Miles Bergman directing the traffic and Aliir Aliir teaching big Riley Thilthorpe a lesson in pressure footy.
For the Crows, Wayne Milera was one man show up back in the first half (the whole game, actually, but this is about the first half), while Sam Berry was in the midst of playing possibly his best game of football for the Crows gathering possessions at will and tackling anyone who got in his way, dulling the influence of the much-vaunted Power onballers to keep the Crows in touch
The problem for the Crows in the first half was their inability to kick goals from their dominance, especially from their talented smalls such a Izak Rankine, Jake Soligo and Josh Rachele, who all looked a little bit off before the main break. The most dangerous forward for the Crows before halftime was Ben Keays who looked likely and his efforts deserved better than just a single goal.
With a couple of minutes left on the clock before halftime, the game suddenly found life when Josh Rachele kicked a typical small man’s crumbing goal to even the scores, energising not only his teammates but also the crowd which had been relatively quiet to that point.
With the predominately Crow crowd suddenly became more invested in the game, their enthusiasm turned to venom when just before the halftime siren Zak Butters and Jake Soligo were contesting a ball body-on-body, in a show of strength close to the boundary line, which went out with Butters rolling into the fence.
The umpire deemed Soligo had pushed Butters into the fence, and he was awarded a free kick. I have watched a replay a couple of times now and I fail to see how or when Soligo pushed Butters in a manner that was illegal.
Zak Butters’ subsequent goal with seconds left on the clock was Port’s only goal for the second quarter, however, they led by six points at the main break in a dour struggle.
This was not the last time in the match Jake Soligo was going to be on the wrong end of a dubious decision.
The Big Texan
To back up a little, the big Texan, Taylor Walker pulled a hamstring in the first quarter, and he sat out the rest of the match on the pine. It was a big blow for the Crows, as it meant Riley Thilthorpe was exposed as the only big target up forward for the Crows, however, he was being blanketed by Aliir.
Tex has kicked 691 goals in his illustrious career, and it is to be hoped he gets back this season to be given the chance to reach 700 career goals.
At the age of 36 and with 307 games under his belt, the once loved, then much maligned, and then loved again forward deserves to finish his career on his terms.
In the absence of Walker for the second half, the Crows needed to find another avenue to goal rather than just having Aliir intercepting everything that came his way.
The Third Quarter
After halftime, it was game-on as the match went up a notch and then some, as the pressure gauge went through the roof and there was no room for any passengers on either team. The stars did what stars do, however, it was the lesser lights or the newbies who stood their ground when it was their turn to go in the second half.
There was a totally different aura about this game after halftime as the energy and pace increased and both teams were attacking the play with a devil may care attitude.
Young Jack Whitlock set the standard for the up and comers early in the third when he found Corey Durdin with a good pass who slotted his second goal for the game to break the arm-wrestle. Durdin has been a great pickup for the Power, already eclipsing anything he did at Carlton.
It would not be the last time Whitlock would shine in the second half.
Whitlock set the standard for all the relatively young and inexperienced players on the ground, and throughout the entire second half it was the efforts of some the games unknowns who stood tall and took their moments.
For the second time this season, I am going to eat humble pie when it comes to Josh Rachele, as he has stepped up his game this season, and while he was a bit inaccurate to start the third quarter with a couple of behinds, he was dangerously busy and he was eventually rewarded with a nice running goal to pull the Crows right back into the game.
Shortly after Rachele’s goal, an angry Mitch Georgiades kicked truly for the Power as the teams went goal for goal.
Thereafter, it looked like the Crows bench was going to be reduced to only three players when Jordon Butts and acting captain, Alex Neal-Bullen left the ground with what seemed match ending injuries. While Butts’ night was over, a ginger Neal-Bullen played the game out leading the Crows by example.
The Arc Howler
Jake Soligo must have wondered who he had upset when his snapped a goal midway through the third (which was awarded a goal without hesitation by the goal umpire) but play was recalled just before the continuation of play. The ARC, in their wisdom and for want of better word, overruled the goal umpire and stated the ball went over the top of the goal post. To the naked eye there did not seem to be enough evidence to overturn the goal umpire’s decision.
Unless I am wrong, for a decision to be overturned I always believed there had to be categorical proof the original decision was wrong, and in this instance, it looked like the ARC was guessing as the ball was at least two above the goal post.
It just wasn’t Jake’s night when it came to controversy.
Another ARC fail? I am guessing this was on everyone’s Bingo Card for this round. And every round, it seems.
Back to the Third Quarter and Miles Bergman
Matthew Nicks had done his homework during the long break, and he put the clamps on Miles Bergman to prevent him from being the conduit at half back through which the Power were launching many forward forays.
As good and as damaging as Butters, Horne-Francis and Wines are, they rely on the consistent Bergman to be the player they utilise to start counterattacks from the half back line. In the third quarter Bergman was held to only three possessions after having 15 possessions in the first half.
It was a sublime move by Nicks, but a very important one, as Bergman found himself having to be accountable as the Crows surged late in the third quarter.
The Moments Late in the Third Quarter
Almost immediately after the Soligo debacle, Izak Rankine stamped his authority on the game as he danced his way to a stunning goal from the boundary line to put the Crows right back in the game.
Rankine is just all class.
Dante Visentini (a great name), another of the Power’s players just finding his way in the game as a big man, crumbed the ball like a small to goal and again extend the Powers lead, however, that would be the last hurrah for the Power until about midway through the last quarter.
For the entirety of the match, Ben Keays looked the most likely Crow to kick enough goals for the Crows to win, and when he kicked his second late in the third quarter it sparked his team into action, including a young Crow in just his third game who played a wonderful cameo role shortly thereafter, by the name of Toby Murray.
Murray kicked his first goal in the big time, a lovely goal from the boundary line about 40 metres out to put the Crows in front for the first time since early in the first quarter.
Murray proved his first goal wasn’t a fluke, as within a minute he kicked his second goal to help his team establish an eight-point break heading into the last stanza.
Lachlan McAndrew v Jordon Sweet
The ruck contest between Lachlan McAndrew and Jordon Sweet was one of the more intriguing man-on-man matchups on the ground.
While Sweet had McAndrew’s measure in the first half, McAndrew fought back in the third quarter to give his mates under him first dibs on the ball from stoppages, as the tide and trends of this game swung back and forth on the team winning the stoppages.
A bit like the final score, in terms of hit-outs there was very little difference between the two big men come the final siren.
The Final Quarter
After Ben Keays kicked his third goal to start the third quarter, and Riley Thilthorpe kicked truly after some absolute brilliance by Rachele to create opportunity out of nothing, it looked as though the Crows were on the fast track to victory, but that would not be in the script Showdowns like to follow.
With five straight goals by the Crows and a very handy lead midway through the last stanza it was hard to ascertain if the Crows started to cruise a bit or if the Power suddenly found their second wind, as they stormed their way back from the grave to hit the lead with 37 seconds left on the clock.
Against the flow of the game, Corey Durdin found a still angry Mitch Georgiades on the lead who went back and kicked truly on night where he was a bit hit and miss when shooting at the big sticks.
Georgiades’ goal inspired the Power as they lifted to a man across the ground and shortly thereafter Joe Berry took a nice mark and kicked truly for his first goal of the night, but certainly not his last goal for the game.
It was mentioned earlier that young Jack Whitlock would again rise to the occasion in this game. As time started to press on, he took ownership of the game when he marked near the wing, passed the ball to Ollie Wines on half forward and he then sprinted back to the goal mouth to take a nice mark in front of the pack ten metres out.
With the demeanour of a player with many games and years under his belt, Whitlock went back and kicked the goal to bring the Power back to under a goal behind.
When Milera’s apparent sealerl was denied and deemed a free kick after Rachele pushed his opponent on the goal line (nine times out ten Rachele’s action is not paid as a free) the Power backs did not stand on ceremony as they pumped the ball back to their forward half.
As already mentioned, Joe Berry’s last quarter heroics were nearly enough to secure the win for the Power with 37 seconds left, however, the Power’s inability to close the game out led to Brayden Cook becoming the hero as the Crows snatched victory by a point.
What a game of Australian Rules Football.
The Showdown Medal
Congratulation to Sam Berry winning the Showdown Medal with a 29-possession game and a staggering 19 tackles, in possibly his best game for the Crows. Further, in the absence of Dawson Jordan, Berry of the Sam variety took his commitment to the next level as that of a senior player.
Many players have breakout games in their first couple of years, however when a player has been in the system for around five years, they can either cruise or they can again have another break out game elevating them to upper echelons of the competition, and in Showdown LIX, Sam Berry announced himself.
Wayne Milera can consider himself a bit unlucky to not be named as the medal winner, but in what could have only been a toss of the coin decision for the best on ground, Sam Berry came up heads.
Special mention to James Peatling who has been performing well in his new home, and Jake Soligo who never gave up after winning his way back into the Crows lineup this week after a stint back in the SANFL.
I have never seen Josh Worrell play a bad game up back, and after being a bit stiff not to make the All-Australian team last year, if he continues his consistency this year, he must be more than an even money chance this year to be honoured.
Alex Neal-Bullen is a bloody ripper. After looking down and out with an injury in the third quarter he hobbled his way back onto the ground and lead his troops by example, never taking a backward step being one of the Crows best on the night.
Ollie Wines is one of my favourite players in the competition as he is just the type of player you would want on your team. After not being selected in the Round One, Wines has fought back well to again establish his place in the team.
Jason Horne-Francis lit up the Power in the second quarter, and he is the type of player when he is ‘on’ that is arguably one of the most damaging players in comp, however he often fades in and out of games, like he did in the second half of this game.
In his first season in the AFL Josh Lai is earning his keep with some very consistent performances. Lai plays the game like he has been in the Power’s team for five years, which is a compliment to the way he has grasped his opportunity.
How good is Aliir Aliir? It is a rhetorical question as he is a beast up back for the power and he completely put Riley Thilthorpe’s lights out in this match. Aliir has the ability to be totally out of position, yet still able to mark the ball. In the last quarter he turned young Toby Murray inside out to mark a ball Murray had his name all over. Intimating The Pipe, who was commentating this game, Aliir is ridiculously good.
Other notable performances for the Power include the performance of first year player Christian Moraes, the consistency of Logan Evans from week to week, the unquestionable toughness of Darcy Byrne-Jones and Jacob Wehr who is getting better by the game at his new club.
If I was pushed into nominating a player from each team who was a bit shabby on the night it would be Daniel Curtin for the Crows and Todd Marshall for the Power. Both players were returning from injuries and they both looked like they needed the run. Curtin had his moment in the last quarter with his handball to Cook to kick the winning goal, while Marshall who was quiet all night got some important possessions in the last quarter.
The Umpires and ARC
Since the early 2000s I have been of the opinion if you are blaming umpires for losses then your team is no good, however, that was until season 2026.
There were a few howlers in this game, and whichever team lost their it was always certain that their fans would be more than justified jamming up talkback radio shows to complain.
Like most fans, we seek consistency of decisions within a game, and not four different interpretations depending on who is paying the free kick or not paying the free.
There were times in this match where players were swung around two or three times and a free kick was not paid, while on other occasions a holding the ball free was plucked from nowhere.
Consistency please, umpires. Have a chat amongst yourselves, come to an agreement on what is and what isn’t a reasonable interpretation, and bloody stick to it!
The ARC is a bloody mess at the moment, as highlighted earlier by the decision to overturn the Jake Soligo goal. For the record, the goal umpires call was without hesitation a goal, and on replay there was no definitive evidence to have his decision reversed, but it was.
That is happened right in front of the AFL brass was probably par for the course. They’ll tell you how good the decision was, of course. They always do.
As stated earlier, I have no dog in this fight (that is a terrible saying), so from the viewpoint of a neutral supporter, the decision to reverse Soligo’s goal was a howler. I just don’t know how the ARC lined it up to say the ball went over the goal post from a behind the goals camera angle.
The Mark Ruccuito and Kenny Hinkley Show
With The Pipe adjudicating, the banter between the Roo and Kenny was quite entertaining as they rebounded off each other a bit like Roy and HG, or Bill Lawry and Tony Grieg. After being bombarded on Thursday night by Kingy and his sidekick, Mimmicking Jack being serious all game, it was good to have a throwback to the days of Jack, Louie and Bobby (ask your parents, or grandparents).
I’m not sure, but it seemed like Dwayne Russell may have left the commentary box when Cook kicked the winner for the Crows as Kenny was left all on his own trying to fill the silent spaces.
I might even ring Dwayne during the week and verify if he did leave the box.
All in all, it was great theatre, and there is nothing wrong with a bit of humour mixed in with pure passion and raw emotion from those calling the game.
Fin
Showdowns rarely disappoint, especially the ones played in the first half of the season before ladder positions settle, and it is about time these matches were given the marquee attention they deserve.
The Crows and the Power put on another ripper, and it has been a privilege to write this review.
Next week the Crows take on the hapless Tigers at the MCG on a pleasant Sunday afternoon, while the Power host the injury riddled Dogs at home as the second fiddle game again on the Friday night.
It’s 3:30am now and my adrenaline is still running high writing this review, but it is time to wind down.
What a game. What a finish. What a rivalry.
