Preview R23: Changes vs. Port Adelaide

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So i'm still struggling to see how Port can kick a winning score in this game without Georgiades, Dixon is cooked and Rat can't kick, so we keep Rioli quiet with Bond and then who do they have?
Is Georgiardes a definite out? AFL injury list says 'test'.

With the pathetic games Port plays before any showdown reckon he could be playing unless he's been definitely ruled out.
 

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During the game Filthy was in a marking contest about 2m away from me and when he landed it looked like he hurt/jarred his knee. he got up and walked it off though but he initially looked sore.
 

Showdown 56: Adelaide forward Josh Rachele labels Showdown a ‘mini grand final’ for his side as it looks to finish year on a high

Adelaide forward Josh Rachele says his side will be treating the Showdown as a mini grand final as it looks to build more momentum into next season.
Set to miss the top eight for a seventh consecutive year, the Crows want to soak up and perform well in the finals-like atmosphere at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night against a flag-chasing Power side.

The match should provide valuable big-game experience for Adelaide, which last week fielded just four players with September action to their names: Jordan Dawson, Taylor Walker, Matt Crouch and Rory Laird.

It may be just three on Saturday night because Walker will be sidelined with an eye injury.

Rachele told this masthead backing up last week’s win over finals contender the Western Bulldogs would give his team added confidence going into the off-season.

“For the likes of a lot of our players who haven’t played finals before, it’s a finals-like game for us,” said Rachele, who was set to play his fourth match against Port.

Josh Rachele says it has been his most consistent year. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“We’re trying to treat it as our little mini grand final for the year.

“You don’t get many big games like this, hopefully we get a 50,000 crowd.

“Hopefully we can get a good win.”

Playing closer to goals, improving his defending and being diligent in his off-field habits have helped Rachele string together arguably the most consistent patch of his career.

Over the past five weeks, the 21-year-old forward has booted 10 goals and laid 17 tackles.

Adelaide won three of those matches and Nicks said one of the losses – the five-point defeat to Geelong a fortnight ago – was Rachele’s best game for the club.

Rachele said he had not “torn the game up as much as I probably wanted to” this season, but he had been more consistent.

The Victorian, who had played 55 games across three campaigns, focused on making sure his form did not dip after the bye like it had in 2022 and 2023.

“It was more of a mental thing and being aware of it,” said Rachele, who was speaking at Forty Winks’ Mile End store as part of a Showdown promotion.

“I feel like when it starts getting cold in winter, you can drop away from your consistencies, if that’s your nutrition, recovery, your sleep.

“Being consistent with that going into the back end and being really diligent with those little things is helping me.”

Of Nicks’s praise after the Geelong game, Rachele said: “He didn’t refer to the stats or goals, it was more from a contest point of view, he thought it was the strongest it’s been”.

“It’s something I’ve definitely had to lift, especially my defensive side.

“Being a natural forward, you don’t always do those things coming out of under-18s.

“I’ve really tried to work on my forward 50 tackles and my pressuring, and the last couple of weeks that’s really shown in my tackle numbers.”
 
We are really going to get a genuine sign of the progress over the last few weeks this Saturday night and whether its fraudulent.

Port will not go into this game taking it lightly as the Cats and then the Dogs may have in recent weeks. Im really looking forward to this game.

We have won the previous 3 showdowns convincingly as well and Port have a banged up forward line.
 
We are really going to get a genuine sign of the progress over the last few weeks this Saturday night and whether its fraudulent.

Port will not go into this game taking it lightly as the Cats and then the Dogs may have in recent weeks. Im really looking forward to this game.

We have won the previous 3 showdowns convincingly as well and Port have a banged up forward line.

Yeah should be a cracker. I am not convinced they are a better side than us but clearly have dominant mids which is the biggest worry - esp JHF.

Assuming Swans are 6 premiership points ahead leading into the last minor round game, I can also see a potential upset at the SCG where Crows would love to knock off the top team in the last minor round
 

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McHenry in
TablI2QjB1N0yuVEp2.webp
 
yep...gollant for tex, oh dear lachlan murphy survives...

[PLAYERCARD]Lachlan Murphy[/PLAYERCARD] Dance GIF by Adelaide Crows
 

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Preview R23: Changes vs. Port Adelaide

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