Power and Crows without stars for Showdown battle
Adelaide captain Rory Sloane and Port Adelaide’s five-time Showdown medallist Robbie Gray will both miss tonight’s critical clash between the two winless AFL clubs, as Crows coach Matthew Nicks says he’s unfazed by a spray from a club legend
Sloane has been ruled out of the Adelaide Oval Showdown by a groin injury while Gray is sidelined by COVID protocols.
The big blows for both teams come as Port reveal spearhead Charlie Dixon will miss at least another month of the season.
Dixon has suffered a setback in his recovery from pre-season ankle surgery and is yet to play this year.
“It’s a big concern,’ Port coach Ken Hinkley told reporters on Thursday.
“Charlie … hasn’t missed a game in two years (prior), he’s a critical piece of our team as is Aliir (Aliir) down the other end.
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“But we need to step up. We need to fill the boots of someone who is not there.”
All Australian defender Aliir is not expected to return from an ankle operation for four to five weeks and goalsneak Orazio Fantasia is up to eight weeks from making a comeback from pre-season knee surgery.
Hinkley has dumped GWS recruit Jeremy Finlayson for the Adelaide Oval fixture, summoning Jed McEntee for his second AFL game.
The Crows have recalled dual club champion Rory Laird for his first game this year after suffering a broken hand.
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Nicks described his players as “hungry” to atone after consecutive losses for his rebuilding team, the youngest side in the AFL.
But the Crows coach, now entering his third season with the club, said he was unfazed by a public spray of his players delivered by board director and club legend Mark Ricciuto on Wednesday.
Following Adelaide’s loss to Collingwood last weekend, Ricciuto told his radio employer Triple M that the Crows “can’t kick, they can’t handball, they can’t kick at goal, they’re giving away free kicks – they really can’t do anything worse”.
Nicks told reporters on Thursday that “we’re on the same page as to where we are at as a footy club”.
“And if you think we are not having those conversations, well, you’re kidding yourself,” he said.
“The performance at the moment is not at the level.
“It’s not only our execution by hand and foot, it’s playing our roles.”
– AAP
