Showdown (AFL) - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Showdown is a term used to refer to the derby

Local derby

In many countries the term local derby, or simply just derby means a sporting fixture between two, generally local, rivals, particularly in association football...

match between local rivals the Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide

Port Adelaide Football Club

The Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League...

in the sport of Australian rules football

Australian rules football

Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...

in the Australian Football League

Australian Football League

The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...

(AFL).

Background

The Adelaide Crows joined the AFL in 1991, and Port Adelaide

Port Adelaide Football Club

joined in 1997. The South Australia

South Australia

South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...

n Brewing Company, makers of West End beers, decided that the "Showdown" would be an appropriate name as a promotional opportunity for games between these two clubs, since it was the first time two South Australian teams had played against each other in the AFL.

West End no longer holds naming rights to the Showdown as the Adelaide Crows changed their beer sponsor to the Victorian based Carlton and United Beverages brands in 2005. The game is now sponsored by Balfours

Balfours

Balfours is a South Australian bakery, which produces pies, pasties and cakes for sale in South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales ....

.

Port beat the Crows in the inaugural Showdown in 1997. Having won their first match in the AFL against Geelong

Geelong Football Club

The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...

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. The game also featured a fight between Port's Scott Cummings

Scott Cummings

Scott Cummings is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Essendon, Port Adelaide, the West Coast Eagles and Collingwood in the Australian Football League....

and Adelaide's Rod Jameson

Rod Jameson

Rod Jameson is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Adelaide in the Australian Football League. He was the Crows leading goal kicker in 1991 before spending most of his later career in the midfield and backline...

.

In the 2005 AFL Finals Series

2005 AFL finals series

-The finals system:The system is a final eight system. This system is different to the McIntyre Final Eight System, which was previously used by the AFL, and is currently used by the National Rugby League....

, Adelaide and Port Adelaide met in a semi-final, the first time in their history they had played against each other in a finals game. What was billed as a tight contest turned out to be a fizzer after half time, with Adelaide thrashing Port Adelaide by 83 points.

Showdowns are referred to by their number, e.g. Showdown X for the tenth game between the clubs. Only matches during the Premiership Season or Finals Series are given this distinction. Pre-season matches are often referred to as Showdowns, but are not officially given the title. There have been 29 games played between the clubs, with Port Adelaide leading the Crows 16-13 on match wins at the end of the 2010 season.

The player adjudged best on ground in each match is awarded the Showdown Medal

Showdown Medal

The Showdown Medal is the medal awarded to the player adjudged best on ground in the Showdown AFL match between Adelaide and Port Adelaide. It is thus similar to the Ross Glendinning Medal awarded in Western Derby games....

History of the series

In the 30 showdowns to date the Power lead the all time series 17-13. The longest winning streak belongs to Port who beat the Crows 7 times, the first win was recorded in round 22 of 2000 (Showdown VIII) while the last of the 7 wins was recorded in round 22 of 2003 (Showdown XIV).

Year by year & overall standings

|- style="background:#ccf;"
| Year
| Played
| Adelaide Wins
| Port Adelaide Wins
| Draws
|- style="background:#fff;"
| 1997
| 2
| 1
| 1
|
|- style="background:#fff;"
| 1998
| 2
| 1
| 1
|
|- style="background:#fff;"
| 1999
| 2
| 1
| 1
|
|- style="background:#fff;"
| 2000
| 2
| 1
| 1
|
|- style="background:#fff;"
| 2001
| 2
| 0
| 2
|
|- style="background:#fff;"
| 2002
| 2
| 0
| 2
|
|- style="background:#fff;"
| 2003
| 2
| 0
| 2
|
|- style="background:#fff;"
| 2004
| 2
| 1
| 1
|
|- style="background:#fff;"
| 2005
| 3
| 3
| 0
|
|- style="background:#fff;"
| 2006
| 2
| 1
| 1
|
|- style="background:#fff;"
| 2007
| 2
| 2
| 0
|
|- style="background:#fff;"
| 2008
| 2
| 1
| 1
|
|- style="background:#fff;"
| 2009
| 2
| 1
| 1
|
|- style="background:#fff;"
| 2010
| 2
| 0
| 2
|
|- style="background:#fff;"
| 2011
|2
|1
|1
|
|- style="background:#fff;"
| Overall
| 30
| 13
| 17
|