A wet and wintery day in Adelaide made for tricky conditions, but Showdown 56 still had all of the big moments we’ve come to expect. The low-scoring contest was another great addition to the rivalry, containing plenty of heat and controversy.
From the start, the pressure was on from the Crows as they forced Port to turn the ball over and punished them on the rebound. However, Port were up for the challenge and brought the pressure themselves, as both teams tried to work their way through the other’s defence, with neither able to get the clear upper hand. The score was only one goal apiece until the 21-minute mark before a goal to Jason Horne Francis was quickly answered by Darcy Fogarty and the Crows took a slim two-point lead into the first break.
Port had been on top in clearance, and within the first minute of the second quarter, a running JHF slotted his second goal to put the Crows on the back foot. Yet, they continued to fight hard and the game once more became a grind before Izak Rankin broke the drought. Travis Boak once again got Port out to a one-goal lead, before the Crows stormed home with the last three goals of the term to have the first solid hold of momentum for the night.
The intensity kept up in the third quarter, as the Crows locked the ball in their forward half for the beginning of the quarter. However, they were unable to generate any reward on the scoreboard, and one chance was all Port needed to run the length of the field to slot a goal of their own. Just when it seemed like the temperature couldn’t get any hotter, Houston laid a huge bump on Rankine, which ended his night and sent both sides into a heated scuffle. It was enough to break the Crows’ concentration and the frustration led to a few crucial Port frees which saw them take back the lead by just two points at the final break.
Once more, Port were quick to land the first blow, and as players started to fatigue, the Power sensed their opportunity to secure the win. Two more goals saw Port out by a game-high 20-point margin, but the heat was still very much in the game with more wrestles going on and the pressure still well up. A Ben Keays goal kept things alive, but with players starting to fumble and lose their run, time became the Crows’ biggest enemy. The forwards couldn’t get into position as, time and time again, Port cut off kicks before dealing the killing blow and running out victors by 22 points.
The win broke a streak of three Showdown wins for the Crows and once levelled the Showdown ledger, with 28 wins apiece.
That big hit
It’s a shame that for such a great game, this is all that’s going to be talked about all week.
Izak Rankine had been a thorn in Port’s side all night. He was arguably the Crows’ best up until that point, and had been in a few heated tussles as he got under the Port players’ skins. The bump from Houston was bone-jarring, and knocked Rankine completely off his feet – an impact made worse when his head hit the turf.
Rankine was able to get to his feet to climb onto the stretcher himself and gave the crowd a thumbs up as he left the ground on the buggy, but there was no doubting he was concussed.
It could turn out to be a massive blow for the Power, with Houston being one of the team’s best players this year. It was difficult to tell if the hit got Rankine in the head, but ultimately with the changes to the MRP it doesn’t matter. Elect to bump, you take the suspension, and even though Port will likely fight any ban handed down, Houston will be fighting uphill to get him to be available for the finals.
Whilst Houston is far from a dirty player and clearly looked distressed, it’s unlikely to earn him any sympathy and his season is probably done.
The resulting melee may also be looked at by the MRP, with Matt Crouch hitting Travis Boak in the head with his elbow and plenty of players looking at possible fines.
As it often can after big incidents, the adrenaline certainly stuck around for the rest of the match, with a few more scuffles. But it was to the detriment of the Crows, who seemed a bit rattled and were less disciplined than they had been previously. It was enough to give Port the little bit of room that had been shut down all night, and was one of the few things that separated the sides in the end.
A night of carnage
Rankine wasn’t the only player to come out of the Showdown worse for wear. Lachie Jones also endured a heavy hit after being tunnelled by Riley Thilthorpe and spent an extended period off the ground. Power fans would have been holding their breath, with Jones having previous concussions, but fortunately, he passed the test and was able to return to the field, only to be later subbed out due to an Achilles issue.
Jordon Sweet also spent some time off the ground after his arm got caught in a spoiling attempt and appeared to bend at a wrong angle, but he too was able to play out the game without too much concern.
Josh Worrell landed awkwardly on his sore arm and came off the ground looking like he was in a lot of pain, but only spent a short amount of time on the bench before also finishing out the match ok.
Big Talk
Normally it’s Port Adelaide who come out in the week leading up to the game taking a couple of cracks, but given how badly the last three Showdowns have gone, it seems they decided to keep their heads down this time.
Josh Rachele, on the other hand, was loving the drama, and a few times came out to make the jab at Port supporters, namely about their teeth. And when he kicked a great goal in the second term he couldn’t help but tease the crowd by gesturing to his teeth, but it was probably a bit too premature to be taunting the crowd again. Just like shushing the crowd too early, any taunt can bite you and more often than not does.
And it was the Port fans who had the last laugh in the end, with some reportedly joining in the fun and throwing lolly teeth onto the ground. Rachele probably didn’t have enough of an impact to back up his comments, but the banter is always great for a laugh, and it added to the theatre of it all – it’s what Showdowns are all about.
Add a Showdown medal to the achievement list
It was a massive night for the Showdown medallist, Zak Butters, as he set a new record for the most disposals in a Showdown with 42. The vice-captain was in everything, bursting through packs and kicking the ball forward to give the forwards plenty of opportunities, with a massive 748 meters gained. He also had the most clearances with then, added five tackles, and kicked the final goal of the game to put the cherry on top.
His usual partners in crime, in Connor Rozee and JHF were also suburb once again, while down back, Aliir Aliir took plenty of intercept marks while keeping Thilthorpe quiet. Jase Burgoyne also continued to impress with his defensive work and ability to set up play.
For the Crows, it was captain Jordan Dawson once again, who did all he could to get his team over the line and was a cool head when tempers started flaring. His 26 disposals went a long way to setting up goals and his 11 tackles lead the way along with Willem Drew. Matt Crouch had an impact all over the ground with his 29 disposals, while Mitch Hinge was a solid pillar down back.
Up next
With a top-four spot stitched up, the pressure is off Port now for their trip west to take on Fremantle. Port have beaten Freo in four of their last five meetings including a thriller at Adelaide Oval earlier this year, but they have a tougher time over at Optus where they have only won one of their last four matches. With Freo’s top 8 chances coming down to this game, they will be a hard beat, but Port will be wanting to head into finals with the best form they can and should get this win.
For the Crows they drew the short straw and have to travel to the SCG to take on minor premiers Sydney for their last game. The Crows haven’t beaten Sydney since 2019 and with the Swans starting to find their spark again heading into finals, it’s hard to see the Crows being able to win this. Still the Crows are finding form themselves and could give Sydney a better fight than they’re expecting.
