Port and Adelaide outline preferences for home Showdowns

Adelaide revealed on Monday that it had made a formal submission to the league to host the first ever Friday night blockbuster against the Power next year.

But Port Adelaide’s home Showdown priority is to face the Crows on a Saturday night – the preferred timeslot of Power supporters.

The Power’s past three home games against Adelaide have been Saturday clashes with 7.10pm starts.

It was understood Port Adelaide would embrace the opportunity to play the Crows as the away side in the marquee Friday night spot.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan has previously indicated his support for a Showdown in that prime time but scheduling needs to be worked through with broadcaster Channel 7.

Along with a Saturday night home clash against the Crows, the Power’s other key fixture request to the league was for a home game in Anzac round.

Port Adelaide considers it a huge privilege to host a match that week, when it recognises the military service of past players such as dual Magarey Medallist and war hero Bob Quinn, and awards the Peter Badcoe VC Medal, in honour of South Australia’s last Victoria Cross winner.

It has presented the Badcoe Medal since 2004.

The Power hosted St Kilda on Anzac Day this past season but no clubs played that round in 2020 due to the league’s Covid shutdown.

Port Adelaide has not requested a particular timeslot for a home Anzac match.

The AFL is expected to release the full 2022 fixture in the next few days.

Last week the league announced Round 1, featuring the Power away to Brisbane on Saturday, March 19 and the Crows hosting Fremantle in a twilight match the following day.

Crows chief executive Tim Silvers said the club believed the Showdown deserved to be played on a Friday night.

“We are pushing hard and we are hopeful that can come through in the next couple of days,” Silvers said on Monday.

“It is a massive rivalry.”

Is it finally time for Friday night Showdown?

Adelaide has put in a formal submission with the AFL for the Crows home Showdown in 2022 to become the first match of the fierce rivalry with Port Adelaide to be fixture on a Friday night.

Despite the Crows-Powers clash enjoying a reputation as one of the competition’s greatest rivalries, the match has never featured in the AFL’s prime time slot.

AFL chief executive Gill McLachlan has previously indicated he would support a shift to Friday night, but said the final decision would rest with Channel 7.

The Showdown usually gets slated for a Saturday twilight or evening timeslot.

After Round 1 was revealed last week the full 2022 fixture is expected to be announced later this week.

Crows chief executive Tim Silvers said the club had asked the AFL to make their home match against the Power the first ever Friday night Showdown.

“What I’ve seen is that it is a massive rivalry,” Silvers said of the Showdown.

“We think it is deserving of a marquee timeslot and we are pushing with the AFL to get that and we are going to strive hard to get a good key marquee timeslot for the Showdown that is going to get announced this week.

“We have put in a formal submission for a home Showdown to be played in a marquee timeslot and we are pushing hard and we are hopeful that can come through in the next couple of days.”

The last Showdown, a Crows home game before a 15,000 crowd after a Covid-19 outbreak in SA, was the 50th edition of the fierce rivalry.

Because of Covid-19 there was only one Showdown held in 2020, a Port home game in front of just 2000 fans.

The Power has won the last four Showdowns.

Outside of a potentially historic Showdown, Silvers said the Crows were also pushing for home games against big Victorian clubs in prime timeslots.

“We are pushing really hard to play some strong home games,” he said.

“We are pushing for a marquee slot against some potential big Victorian clubs and just give our members and fans the opportunity to get back to Adelaide Oval.”

Outside of the Showdown’s the Crows only played one match at Adelaide Oval on Friday or Saturday evening in 2021, against Gold Coast in Round 3.

In Round 1 in 2022 the Crows will take on Fremantle on Sunday March 20 at 3.40pm ACST.