Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks has brushed apart recommendations a youthful, flu-hit Port Adelaide will likely be weak in spherical 20’s showdown at Adelaide Oval.
The Power, with out suspended goalsneak Willie Rioli for Saturday’s conflict, have rested ruckman Scott Lycett in favour of second-gamer Dante Visentini, whereas membership games-record holder Travis Boak has been relegated to the substitute function.
With Dan Houston, Sam Powell-Pepper and 2021 Brownlow medallist Ollie Wines all lacking Friday’s captain’s run with flu signs, Port’s depth could possibly be examined.
But Nicks is not anticipating a clean trip.
“Age and experience is one area, there’s also speed, power, talent,” he mentioned.
“Port Adelaide’s is a very, very high-end midfield.
“By no means can we come into this sport considering we’ll get an enormous benefit there.
“We’re confident with the style of footy we’re playing but we’re coming up against a very good midfield.”
Reilly O’Brien will ruck for Adelaide’s extra seasoned on-ball division, piloted by captain Jordan Dawson alongside Rory Laird and Matt Crouch.
“We’re definitely a much younger team around the ball,” Power coach Ken Hinkley conceded.
“That’s OK, we’ve been quite a bit younger all the way through this year.
“If you look purely at age, we’re four-to-five years youthful than the Crows’ mids, which is a major distinction however one we’re glad to tackle.”
Hinkley and Nicks, in their joint press conference on the eve of their round-three clash – which the Crows won by 31 points – didn’t disguise the fact they openly barracked against their hometown rivals most weeks.
It’s been a different story of late.
Adelaide cheered on Port in recent clashes against Carlton, Gold Coast and Essendon – all bidding for finals berths – while the Power did likewise when the Crows almost pinched victories against Port’s top-four co-inhabitants Melbourne and Collingwood.
“We’ve been barracking for them over the past six weeks,” said Nicks, whose 13th-ranked team sit six points outside the top eight.
“We need them to beat each workforce they play in opposition to as a result of (their opposition) are preventing for spots the place we’re making an attempt to get in, that (high) eight.
“We’ve got to win every game we can out of this next five and it starts with tomorrow night.
“This is a large sport for each groups.”
The second-placed Power have followed their club record 13-game winning streak with back-to-back defeats over the past fortnight.
“We’re each chasing our personal seasons in numerous methods,” said Hinkley ahead of the 54th Showdown between the two sides, which Port enter with a narrow 27-26 head-to-head edge.
“We’re proper within the coronary heart of making an attempt to qualify as excessive as we presumably can and the Crows are doing precisely the identical factor, proper within the coronary heart of making an attempt to qualify to play for finals.
“I get that it’s a Showdown and they are big games regardless.
“This one is massive for each groups when it comes to the present positions.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
