Showdown (AFL)

In 1982 the SANFL approached the VFL in regards to entering two sides, Port Adelaide and longtime major rival Norwood, in the Victorian league.[5] This action was also taken by WAFL club East Perth in 1980.[6] All approaches were ignored by the VFL at the time with the reason given by Jack Hamilton being that the VFL clubs thought that one or two SANFL teams would end up being too strong later admitting that they also wanted to continue to poach the states best players, which would soon include Craig Bradley and Stephen Kernahan in 1986.[7] 1982 also saw the first instance of the VFL expanding beyond Melbourne and Geelong with the South Melbourne Football Club being relocated to Sydney. The Port Adelaide Football Club's annual report from late 1982 showed that the failure of the attempts made by South Australian and West Australian clubs to enter the VFL significantly impacted the club's understanding of its future.[8] From this point Port Adelaide restructured the club in regards to economics, public relations and on-field performance for an attempt to enter the league in 1990. There was genuine feeling that failure to do this would result in the club ceasing to exist in the future.[9]

Michael Robinson in writing for the 1985 Football Times Yearbook suggested that Norwood and Port Adelaide would be better off in a National competition due to the gate sharing arrangements brought in by the SANFL that year[10]

In 1985 Port Adelaide registered itself as a national football club. Sentiment at this time amongst the direction of Australian rules football in South Australia was succinctly encapsulated by a Michael Robinson article in the 1985 Football Times Yearbook that previewed the SANFL's upcoming season. In that article Robinson wrote about the disappointment of the equal gate sharing of match takings enforced by the SANFL for the upcoming season with the stronger South Australian clubs propping up ailing clubs such as Woodville.[10]

"What would be left of the SA league without the great clubs such as Norwood and Port Adelaide? It would drop to a miserable fourth-class contest. No one could blame Norwood and Port Adelaide for wanting to get out of the SA league into national ranks if they are further threatened by the dragging down process.

— Michael Robinson in regards to impacts of gate revenue sharing adopted by the SANFL for the 1985 season on Norwood and Port Adelaide, [10]

The following year the SANFL registered the name "Adelaide Football Club" in 1986 but ended up deciding against entering a team into the VFL.[11] In 1986 Norwood Football Club made an independent approach to the VFL with entry into the league discussed in great detail but these discussions ultimately failed to materialise.[9] In 1987 the West Coast Eagles and Brisbane Bears were admitted to the Victorian Football League leaving South Australia as the only mainland state without representation in the VFL.

"In 1988 a deputation from Norwood Football Club had announced it was interested in joining the VFL 'at any time in the future' and ... a private consortium headed by Ken Eustice was interested in grabbing a licence".

— Ross Oakley, [12]

By 1989 seven out of ten SANFL clubs were recording losses and the combined income of the SANFL and WAFL had dropped to 40% of that of the VFL.[11] The 1989 Port Adelaide annual report and November newsletter contrasted with the outlook of other SANFL and WAFL clubs. After its demolition of North Adelaide in the 1989 SANFL Grand Final holding its opposition to a single goal, the club claimed a profit in the annual report and hinted at its intentions the following year in the club newsletter by saying Port Adelaide was "far better than their nearest rival in the SANFL".[13][14]

Left: On 9 August 1990 it was revealed Norwood had been in discussions with the AFL to join in 1991. However, after seeing the local media response to Port Adelaide's bid they sided with the SANFL. Norwood would again try to gain a licence during 1994 in a merger with Sturt.[15]
Right: An injunction was won in the Supreme Court of South Australia preventing Port Adelaide from continuing its discussions with the AFL after 12 August 1990.

During early 1990 the SANFL had decided to wait three years before making any further decision. Frustrated with lack of progress, Port Adelaide were having secret negotiations in the town of Quorn for entry in 1991.[16] A practice match organised by Port Adelaide and Geelong on 25 February at Football Park attracted at over 30,000 spectators and illustrated the potential of a South Australian side in the newly renamed national competition.[17] Around the same time AFL was also seeking Norwood to join the national competition in 1990. However Norwood would eventually side with the SANFL after seeing the media reaction to Port Adelaide's attempts.

"They [the SANFL clubs] are not going to make that decision until they are at the lowest possible ebb. They'd be voting themselves into obscurity [opting for a composite team] in their state."

— Ross Oakley in regards to the other SANFL clubs opposing Port Adelaide's entry.[18]

When the knowledge of Port Adelaide Football Club's negotiations to gain an AFL licence were made public, the other SANFL clubs saw it as an act of treachery. Subsequently, the SANFL clubs, led by Glenelg and Norwood, urged Justice Olssen to make an injunction against the bid, which he agreed to.[11] In total the SANFL spent $500,000 in legal fees to stop Port Adelaide's entry into the AFL, with the latter simply unable to compete in the court room. The SANFL promptly created a composite team to beat Port Adelaide's bid. The Adelaide Football Club gained what was very close to being Port Adelaide's licence to the AFL and began playing in 1991. The new Adelaide club would adopt the moniker of "Crows" after the states inhabitants often used the nickname "Crow-eaters". During this time the SANFL began suing people involved with Port Adelaide, including people volunteering in unpaid positions, with the AFL quickly stepping in to guarantee the protection of the club and associated people.[5] In 2014 during an interview with the Adelaide Advertiser, Ross Oakley revealed that "In desperation to force (the SANFL’s) hand...we began dealing directly with two powerhouse clubs of the SANFL, Norwood and Port Adelaide...we were changing the league’s name to AFL – and we could not go without a team from Adelaide."[12]

"These twenty blokes, everyone who has helped us, are sensational people and all the views that you have read in the press the one thing that really matters is that there will always be a Port Adelaide Football Club."

— George Fiacchi upon accepting the 1990 Jack Oatey Medal for best on ground at the 1990 SANFL Grand Final.[20]

"I want to tell you that you want to enjoy this moment for what it is because the good times are well and truly gone. Apart from Jack (John Cahill) and the players there are a couple of individuals out there who are responsible for that and make sure you enjoy tonight because the good times will not happen again."

— Glenelg coach and inaugural Adelaide coach Graham Cornes's address to the Port Adelaide change-rooms post the 1990 SANFL Grand Final.[21]

The front runners for the coaching job at the newly created club were both involved in the last SANFL game played in South Australia before the advent of a local AFL team, the 1990 SANFL Grand Final. In that game Port Adelaide, coached by John Cahill defeated Glenelg, coached by Graham Cornes, by 15 points. Graham Cornes ended up being selected to coach Adelaide for the 1991 AFL season. Cornes compiled a club list of the best players from South Australia, with few originating from other states, in what was almost a state side in the first year.[22] Chris McDermott, captain of Glenelg in the 1990 SANFL Grand Final, was designated as the Crows inaugural captain.[22] Despite Port Adelaide being SANFL premiers in 1990, only 5 players from the team became part of the Adelaide squad of 52. Those players being Bruce Abernethy, Simon Tregenza, David Brown, Darren Smith and Scott Hodges, with the last three joining Port Adelaide's inaugural AFL squad in 1997.[22][23]

The admission of Adelaide to the AFL had a devastating impact on the leagues attendances with the SANFL recording a 45% drop between 1990 and 1993.[24] Port Adelaide defied this trend of falling SANFL attendances recording an increase of 13% from 1990 to 1993.[25]

"I only hope petty jealousies and fears within the S.A.N.F.L. don't short circuit a Port Adelaide proposal which clearly seems better than any other"

— Tony Greenberg, Inside Football, June 1994, [26]

In 1994 the AFL announced that South Australia would receive a licence for a second team based in the state.[7] The major bids competing with Port Adelaide this time around were from merger club proposals in Norwood-Sturt, and Glenelg-South. On 15 June the SANFL handed down a report recommending the second license go to a team formed from the amalgamation of two clubs.

"The sub-licence should be granted to an amalgamation of two SANFL clubs"

— SANFL, Report on the Future Direction of Football in South Australia, 15 June 1994, [27]

On 16 June it was reported in The Age by Stephen Linnell that "the League's preference was for a single, established club to join the league".[28] The final tenders were submitted to the SANFL on 14 September 1994 including Port Adelaide's second application, Norwood–Sturt's merged club bid with the remaining application coming from Woodville–West Torrens.[29]

"In my opinion coming second [not getting the second South Australian AFL licence] means you die"

— Michael Aish, Norwood champion, August 1994., [30]

On 2 October Port Adelaide won the 1994 SANFL Grand Final, its fifth in seven years. On 13 December Port Adelaide won the tender for the second SA license over its various state rivals, however it was prevented from entering the competition before 1996 as stipulated in the Adelaide license agreement.[31] In 1995 after an SANFL game at Football Park the Adelaide began carrying out a training session which was interrupted by a large horde of Port Adelaide supporters chanting "We're coming to get you".[32] Adelaide coach Robert Shaw was the only Adelaide official to confront the horde.[32] In 1996 Port Adelaide was left to wait again as a vacancy was required in the league.

It was announced on 27 October 1995 that Port Adelaide would be participating in the 1997 AFL season, one season later than initially planned and seven years after the clubs first failed bid in 1990.[33]

Along with the circumstances of the two clubs entries into the national competition are numerous other factors that fuel the rivalry.

Due to the inherent nature of being the only two South Australian clubs in the competition, when a player seeks to move to the state both clubs often vigorously compete for the players signature. This also applies during the AFL Draft when both clubs will jostle for position to gain local talent.

Off-field the rivalry has been characterised by a litigious streak partly stemming from the SANFL's hierarchy in the late 1980s and early 1990s being predominantly made up of a small circle of Adelaide lawyers. The injunction to prevent Port Adelaide finalising talks with the AFL to join in 1990 being the most famous example. Additionally 1990 was also litigiously characterised by SANFL lawyers suing Port Adelaide administrators and volunteers, requiring the AFL to step in to seek guarantees of protection.[5] A more recent example featuring Scott Hodges, a player for both clubs at different stages but primarily Port Adelaide, released his book describing an encounter with his teammate Andrew Jarman during his time at Adelaide, the latter player publicly threatened the former with legal action.[34]

In 2005 for the AFL's Heritage Round, Adelaide decided to wear an iteration of the South Australian state guernsey, with the 'AFC' monogram instead of the 'SA' monogram, which was originally worn in 1930.[35] During the same match Port Adelaide were blocked by the AFL from wearing the club's Prison Bar guernsey.

"The Adelaide football team and the SA state side are two separate identities – and they should not be confused."

— John Halbert, The Advertiser, 2005

In February 2014, Adelaide announced that they would wear the South Australian state guernsey in the first Showdown at Adelaide Oval. This left Port Adelaide fans particularly aggrieved as many of their greats had worn the South Australia guernsey in the past. Port Adelaide released a statement at the time saying that the state guernsey was "a symbol of South Australian football unification, not division".[36] Others commented that it would be misappropriation to use a State guernsey for a club based competition with players who came from interstate being forced to wear a symbol of South Australia.

My father wore that state jumper to represent SA. So did I. So did many others. That jumper is sacred in my books...I spoke to Eddie McGuire today and suggested Carlton might wear the Big V in a heritage game. You can imagine the reaction. Clubs don't get to wear state jumpers...[37]

— Stephen Kernahan comments on the South Australian state guernsey.[38]

Shortly after unveiling the guernsey, Adelaide were denied permission to wear it by the SANFL.[39] Port Adelaide meanwhile were granted permission by the AFL to wear their traditional "Prison Bar" guernsey for the only Showdown in 2020, as part of the club's 150th anniversary celebrations.[40] The club has also requested it wear the guernsey in all future matches between the teams.[41]

Many supporters of traditionally strong South Australian clubs other than Port Adelaide, such as Norwood, Sturt, Glenelg and North Adelaide, were left frustrated that Port Adelaide were the only SANFL club to make the transition to the AFL.

"I cannot even begin to imagine the joy of seeing Norwood players run on to the MCG in an AFL final – or even a home and away game...We would never again see some of the country’s best players slip on our club’s jumper while in their prime."

— David Washington, InDaily, 2014.[42]

"Victorians say they hate Collingwood in the way that people say they hate snails getting into their garden and eating their lettuces. Let's call a spade a spade. If Port Adelaide were the last team on earth and they were playing a scratch outfit made up of child molesters, axe murderers, failed entrepreneurs and Liberal politicians, I'd barrack for the Liberals...Norwood people especially loathe Port Adelaide with a passion. Can I speak too badly of them? No, I can't."

— Gordon Bilney, The Age, 2002.[43]

The Showdown has a history of upsets with ladder ranking and betting markets being a poor indicator of the final result. As of Showdown 44, over a third of meetings have gone the way of the lower ranked team. In addition to this the overall head-to-head lead has been held by both teams at different stages, has never gone beyond a differential of 6 and, as of Showdown 47 has Adelaide leading by only a single win. This contrasts with the Western Derby where West Coast have never relinquished the lead of the head-to-head ledger and have at some stages held a 12 win differential over Fremantle and the Sydney Derby where the Sydney Swans have also never relinquished the lead of the head-to-head ledger and held a 7 win differential over the GWS Giants after 9 meetings.

In the inaugural Showdown, Port Adelaide defeated Adelaide by 11 points. Having won their first match in the AFL against Geelong the week before, a pumped up Port jumped the Crows in the first half and managed to hold on in the final quarter as the Crows mounted a comeback.[44] The game notably also featured a fight between Port's Scott Cummings and Adelaide's Rod Jameson.

The battle of Adelaide has been fought and won. They brought with them a mountain of tradition, there's no denying that. A bonafide club, as distinct from the other. A club forged over many years. What an impact. There are a few chameleons in the crowd. I think a few changed during the course of the game. They found their roots.

— Dennis Cometti immediately after the siren had sounded signifying the end of the game[45]

Dennis Cometti, commentator for the inaugural Showdown, later elaborated on his chameleon comment saying that when the Adelaide entered the AFL some Port Adelaide supporters began to follow the new team as it was the only South Australian club competing on the national stage, but six years after their original club attempted to do the same, they reverted to supporting Port Adelaide after they won the first showdown.[45]

The Ramsgate Hotel was the location of an altercation between the two sides in 2002

The round 5, 2002 Showdown was the second time in a row Port Adelaide had won by 8 points. After the game players from both sides coincidentally came across each other at the Ramsgate Hotel in Henley Beach. During the match Josh Carr had been tagging Mark Ricciuto holding him to only 6 kicks (for comparison Ricciuto averaged 13 over his career).[46] After the game when the groups of players met at the Ramsgate Hotel the two started an argument, and with the assistance of alcohol, a brawl between the two groups broke out. No one was badly injured. The publicity of this incident resulted in the only consecutive Showdown crowds of 50,000 at Football Park.[47]

Showdown XV is memorable for the magnitude of the upset that Adelaide pulled off and the fact that it ended Port Adelaide's 7 game winning streak in Showdowns. At the start of the game Port Adelaide had won 5 of its first 6 games whilst Adelaide had only managed one. The gambling markets had Adelaide at $5 to win the match, the longest odds offered in any Showdown at the time.[48] Port Adelaide entered the first break with a 6-point lead but Adelaide coach Gary Ayres gave his side a spray and subsequently ran away with the game to cause arguably the biggest upset in Showdown history.

In the 2005 AFL Finals Series, Adelaide and Port Adelaide met in a semi-final, the first time, and thus far only time in their history they had played against each other in a finals game. The stakes of a showdown had never been higher and South Australia experienced an unprecedented high anticipation to the game in the week leading up to the match. The match was known in the buildup as "The Ultimate Showdown".[49] The first half of the game was an intense, defensive contest with the Crows leading 4.7 (31) to 3.6 (24) at the main break. Tempers almost boiled over in the second quarter after Adelaide ruckman Rhett Biglands was stretchered from the ground after a Byron Pickett shirtfront. However Biglands would return in the second half and the incident would eventually be deemed legal.[50] After half time, Adelaide thrashed Port Adelaide outscoring them by 76 points cruising home for an 83-point win, ending Port Adelaide's season. This remains as the only final played between the two sides and the only final the two would ever play at Football Park. 2005 was also the only time one of the clubs had defeated the other side in 3 Showdowns in the same AFL season.

Showdown 24 is often cited as the most physical meeting of the two clubs. The game was memorable in Adelaide's ability to just hold and limp to the siren for a win despite having four injured players on the bench against a Port Adelaide side with all the momentum kicking the last three goals of the match, with Daniel Motlop bringing the margin to 6 points with two minutes remaining. The 6-point margin was at the time the smallest in Showdown history and the result evened the ledger for the first time since 2000.

Diagram of Angus Monfries' goal kicked on the 50-metre line that bounced before the left behind line, significantly changed direction right, and crossed the goal line to bring Port Adelaide within 2 points of Adelaide with 87 seconds remaining

In 2013 Port Adelaide beat Adelaide in the final Showdown to be played at Football Park. The game was also memorable for Port Adelaide's late final quarter charge, coming back from 20 points in the last 6 minutes of the game. This included a goal by Angus Monfries from outside 50 that landed just in front of the Port Adelaide's point line, bounced at right angles and went through for a goal. Chad Wingard kicked his fifth goal in the last 28 seconds to hand Port Adelaide the lead and win.[51] Port Adelaide winning this match meant the club had won the first, last and most Showdowns played at Football Park.

Monfries has kicked a goal, unbelievable! That makes up for Robbie Gray in the first quarter...It's gone at right angles, right angles Tim! I haven't seen anything like that, if Pythagoras is watching, explain that!

— Dennis Cometti's reaction to Angus Monfries' goal

The round 2, 2014 Showdown on 29 March 2014 saw the first Showdown played at Adelaide Oval along with the first game of Australian rules football at the venue since its extensive redevelopment. Port Adelaide led from the start, with Matthew Lobbe kicking the first goal in an Adelaide Oval Showdown but Adelaide mounted a comeback and claimed the lead briefly in the third. After the halfway mark of the third quarter, Port Adelaide ran away with the game winning by 55 points.[52]

The round 16, 2015 Showdown on 19 July 2015 had added significance due to the recent death of Crows senior coach Phil Walsh, who spent ten years as an assistant in two stints with Port Adelaide, including their 2004 premiership.[53] The game lived up to expectation, with the Crows holding on desperately in the last quarter to win by three points, the closest margin in a Showdown. The game was played in front of 53,518, the largest attendance at the venue since the 1973 SANFL Grand Final. Scott Thompson was awarded the one off Phillip Walsh Medal, presented by Walsh's daughter Quinn.[54]

The round 8, 2018 Showdown held on 12 May 2018 was played at Adelaide Oval in front of a Port Adelaide home-crowd of 50,967. Despite Adelaide leading by 21 points at half-time, Port Adelaide managed to cut Adelaide's margin back to single figures with 5 minutes left in the third quarter. Robbie Gray kicked 2 goals late (his fourth and fifth of the quarter) to give Port Adelaide the lead at three-quarter time.[55] The final quarter was largely played in Adelaide's forward half but they could not trouble the scoreboard. With less than three minutes to go, the game looked all-but over, but that was not the case. Adelaide managed three goals in little over 2 minutes to regain the lead with 42 seconds on the clock through a Mitch McGovern set shot.[55] One last turn would see off-season Port Adelaide recruit Steven Motlop kick the winning goal with 21 seconds left. Robbie Gray claimed the Showdown Medal for his best on ground display.[55] He managed 6 goals (5 of which in the third quarter). The win ended Adelaide's 5-game winning streak over Port Adelaide.

Showdown 45 was a tight contest for the entire game apart from the opening where the Crows kicked the first three goals of the match. Second gamer Kane Farrell kicked three goals to close out the first interval with the quarter time scores level and the margin thereafter never again reaching three goals. Late in the final quarter Ollie Wines had the opportunity to seal the game with a set shot from a tight angle but his banana kick was ineffective. Minutes after Wines shot, Josh Jenkins snapped and his score was referred to the goal review umpire to clarify whether it hit the post. The score was quickly ruled a goal by the goal review umpire despite Josh Jenkins calling his teammates to set up for a kick out. He later stated his doubt in a post game interview. Robbie Gray was awarded a record fourth Showdown Medal becoming just the third player, after Graham Johncock and Shaun Burgoyne, to win the honour coming from the losing side.

My grandma raised me not to tell fibs. I think it hit the post...but I'm pretty happy they didn't think so.

— Josh Jenkins during a post-game interview on the field, [56]

Showdown 48 is one of the most notable editions of the rivalry due to the unique circumstances under which the game took place as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally scheduled to take place on the 28 March 2020, Showdown 48 was delayed due to the postponement of the 2020 AFL season until 13 June 2020 resulting in a record 343 day break between meetings of the two clubs making it the latest first meeting of the two clubs.[57] Due to health protocols put in place by South Australian government only allowed 2,240 spectators to attend the game, the second smallest crowd for an AFL game at Adelaide Oval (second to the Adelaide v Sydney round 1, 2020 game, which had no spectators at the ground).[57] The game itself started as a close tussle with Rory Sloane kicking the first goal of the game, however after quarter time Port Adelaide dominated Adelaide and proceeded to win by 75 points. Travis Boak was awarded his second Showdown Medal.

NOTE: No medal was awarded in Showdown XIX.

As the Showdown Medal was only introduced in 2000, six Showdowns were played without a medal being awarded. In 2019 Michelangelo Rucci, football writer for The Advertiser, advocated for a combination of Brownlow Medal, Club Champion voting and Media votes to determine the selection for retroactively awarded Showdown Medals.[62] This potential for retrospective Showdown Medal's being awarded was enhanced by the Western Derby allocating retrospective medals in 2018.[63] Another Showdown where a medal was not awarded to the player adjudged best afield was the 2005 Semi Final. The official Adelaide website, afc.com.au, lists Simon Goodwin as their best player in the 2005 Showdown Final with 3 goals and 22 disposals at 91% disposal efficiency to his name.[64][65] At the end of 2019 Rob Chapman, the Chairman of the Adelaide Crows confirmed that his club and Port Adelaide agreed to the awarding of retrospective Showdown Medals and would determine the best way to present them during the 2020 AFL season.[66]

Below is a list of players who have played a senior game of football representing both the Adelaide Football Club and Port Adelaide Football Club. Two players, Matthew Bode and Brett Chalmers, have appeared in Showdowns for both clubs.

Below is a list of AFL sanctioned trades between the two clubs. Only four trades have ever been orchestrated between the two clubs.[67] There were no trades for ten years between 2008 and 2018.

Due to the length of the AFL premiership season requiring five double up matches and the commercial strength of the Showdown there have always been two Showdown's fixtured for the minor round, with the exception of 2020 which saw only one Showdown scheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Generally the gap between the two Showdown fixtures is maximised to preserve the games reverence.

Highest score in a Showdown.

Lowest score for each club in all Showdowns.

Greatest winning margin for each club in the Showdown.

Smallest winning margin for each club in the Showdown.

Seasons when one club has won all Showdown fixtures. There was only one Showdown in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

¹Includes the 2005 semi-final. This is the only (as of 2020) time that either side has won all three Showdowns in the one season (including finals).

Showdown players ranked by win percentage (minimum 10 Showdowns played).

Showdown coaches ranked by total wins followed by win percentage.

Adelaide Oval scoreboard during the Bushfire T20 Showdown.

Two Showdowns have taken place as Twenty20 cricket matches doubling as charity fundraisers for bushfire relief. In 2009, the two clubs played at AAMI Stadium what was dubbed as SA Footy's Bushfire Bash For Cash.[69] In the aftermath of the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season which severely impacted Kangaroo Island and parts of the Adelaide Hills, the two clubs played another such game, this time at Adelaide Oval. Dubbed the Bushfire T20 Showdown, it also included members of the Adelaide Strikers of the Big Bash League including Australian internationals Alex Carey and Kane Richardson and Afghan international Rashid Khan participating. The game proved a success with 34,219 spectators collectively raising $1,015,239 by the end of the match for the South Australian Bushfire Appeal. Seven Network broadcast the match with commentators including James Brayshaw, Greg Blewett, Mark Soderstrom and Jason Gillespie.[70]

Sunday, 2 February 2020 Scorecard

Port Adelaide	v	Adelaide
231/7 (20 overs) Travis Boak 44 (23) Hamish Hartlett 2/9 (2 overs)		217/8 (20 overs) Tom Lynch 38 (24) Rashid Khan 2/11 (3 overs)

Port Adelaide won by 14 runs Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

• Port Adelaide won the toss and elected to bat.

Tony Modra being interviewed after the 2011 Slowdown.

A charity spin off of the Showdown also included an annual 'Slowdown' that raised money for various charities. Slowdown's often featured retired Adelaide, Port Adelaide and SANFL players along with local celebrities.