Three former Adelaide captains have selected their five favourite Showdowns ahead of the 46th meeting between Port Adelaide and the Crows this weekend.
Mark Bickley, Mark Ricciuto and Nathan van Berlo have all thrown their opinions in the ring and from this, we’ve grabbed the five most mentioned.
In no particular order:
Showdown XXXIX
2015, Round 16
Adelaide 18.8 (116) dftd Port Adelaide 17.11 (113)
To date, there hasn’t been a more emotionally charged Showdown than Round 16, 2015
Crows won a nailbiter, the closest Showdown to date, but the game was more about one man than the players on the field.
Phil Walsh, the late Crows coach and former Port Adelaide assistant coach, was commemorated with a named medal, trophy presentation from his family and both sets of players running through one combined banner.
The result was important because it landed the Crows in the top eight, but it meant so much more than that.
“So often the Showdown has represented bitter rivalry,” Bickley told AFC Media.
“But Showdown 39 represented unity, with both clubs honouring the life of Phil Walsh.
“The largest attendance at Adelaide Oval since the 1973 Grand Final witnessed an amazing game.”
Showdown XI
2002, Round Five
Port Adelaide 14.6 (90) dftd Adelaide 12.10 (82)
Tensions were sky high when players from both sides crossed paths at the Ramsgate Hotel after Showdown XI.
The Power had just beaten the Crows by eight points thanks in part to Josh Carr’s tagging efforts on Ricciuto.
Port Adelaide’s victory gave them a commanding lead in the Showdown tally - seven to four - and the Crows weren’t happy.
“We were down at a restaurant and they’d run out of booze, so we sent one of the blokes Benny Nelson over to the Ramsgate bottleshop to get a few more bottles of wine,” Ricciuto said on Triple M in 2017.
“He came back and said ‘the Port boys are over at the Ramsgate!’ and someone said ‘we better go over there.”
“I said ‘if we go over there, make sure we don’t back out’.”
Although a brawl ultimately ensued, no one was seriously hurt.
“I’ve had a few chats to Carry since and we didn’t speak for probably a year or two afterwards, but when you’ve finished up and look back on it it’s a bit of fun,” Ricciuto said.
Showdown XXIV
2008, Round Three
Adelaide 12.13 (85) dftd Port Adelaide 11.13 (79)
Widely remembered as “the bloodbath”, Showdown XXIV saw the Crows limp to a six-point win despite having four injured players on the bench.
Port Adelaide ruckman Dean Brogan had fractured Luke Jericho’s sternum and by the fourth quarter Jason Porpylzia, Nathan Bassett and Kris Massie were all out of the contest.
The Power kicked the final three goals of the game but the Crows held on for the victory - which was, at the time, the smallest margin in Showdown history.
“We had to dig deep after being down four on the bench,” van Berlo told AFC Media.
“Still remember Bunji (Andrew McLeod) holding the ball aloft on the siren and my good friend Bernie Vince winning the Showdown medal.”
Showdown XIX
2005, semi-final
Adelaide 18.15 (103) dftd Port Adelaide 5.10 (40)
The first finals Showdown was billed as the most significant match the two sides had played against each other.
The Crows had won both the regular season matches - by 68 points in the first and a much closer seven points in the second.
But like every Showdown, no one could predict the result heading in.
At half-time, the margin was measly - Adelaide led by just seven points.
Whatever Neil Craig said to the boys at the major break, it worked, and the Crows returned to kick 14 goals in the second half to Port Adelaide’s two.
Scott Welsh booted four goals, Mark Ricciuto had 24 touches and Brett Burton was a tackling machine with six.
Showdown I
1997, Round Four
Port Adelaide 11.17 (83) dftd Adelaide 11.6 (72)
It wasn’t meant to happen like it did.
Crows were the heavy favourites, established in the league for six seasons and expected to defeat the newcomers.
But Port Adelaide came out of the gates at Football Park with aggression, holding off a late surge from the Crows in the fourth quarter.
Shane Bond had 26 touches and Scott Cummings had four goals for the Power.
Mark Bickley’s five best:
Showdown XXXIX (2015)
Adelaide 18.8 (116) dftd Port Adelaide 17.11 (113)
Showdown XIX (2005)
Adelaide 18.15 (103) dftd Port Adelaide 5.10 (40)
Showdown XXXI (2011)
Adelaide 16.15 (111) dftd Port Adelaide 11.13 (79)
Showdown XI (2002)
Port Adelaide 14.6 (90) dftd Adelaide 12.10 (82)
Showdown XXIV (2008)
Adelaide 12.13 (85) dftd Port Adelaide 11.13 (79)
Mark Ricciuto’s best five:
Showdown XIX (2005)
Adelaide 18.15 (103) dftd Port Adelaide 5.10 (40)
Showdown XI (2002)
Port Adelaide 14.6 (90) dftd Adelaide 12.10 (82)
Showdown VII (2000)
Adelaide 14.14 (98) dftd Port Adelaide 13.13 (91)
Showdown I (1997)
Port Adelaide 11.17 (83) dftd Adelaide 11.6 (72)
Showdown XXXIX (2015)
Adelaide 18.8 (116) dftd Port Adelaide 17.11 (113)
Nathan van Berlo’s best five:
Showdown XXIV (2008)
Adelaide 12.13 (85) dftd Port Adelaide 11.13 (79)
Showdown XXXI (2011)
Adelaide 16.11 (111) dftd Port Adelaide 11.13 (79)
Showdown XVII (2005)
Adelaide 18.16 (124) dftd Port Adelaide 8.8 (56)
Showdown XIX (2005)
Adelaide 18.15 (103) dftd Port Adelaide 5.10 (40)
Showdown XXXII (2012)
Adelaide 16.14 (110) dftd Port Adelaide 14.7 (91)
