Port Adelaide will need to quickly rebound from a physically and emotionally draining Showdown loss as they host a formidable Geelong side at Adelaide Oval this Saturday afternoon. The Round 10 clash pits a Power outfit that threw everything at their cross-town rivals last week, only to fall short by five points, against a Cats team looking to assert their dominance on the road.
Last week's Showdown was an energy-sapping affair for Port Adelaide. While they dominated key statistics such as clearances (winning the count by 27) and inside 50s (22 more than the Crows), their inability to convert these opportunities proved costly, scoring from only 38% of their entries inside 50. That late fade after getting so close will sting and the recovery both mentally and physically in a short turnaround is a significant challenge.
Geelong, despite a loss to GWS last week, have generally shown strong form throughout the season and hold a favourable record at Adelaide Oval, winning 13 of 22 games there since 2014, including six against Port Adelaide. Their most recent trip to the venue saw them record a dominant 84-point victory over the Power in last year's Qualifying Final.
Considering the Power's tough battle last week and their struggles with conversion despite winning plenty of the ball, coupled with Geelong's solid record at the venue and overall season performance, the Cats appear to have the edge. Port Adelaide's best is certainly good enough to challenge, especially in front of a home crowd, but backing up a high-intensity Showdown is one of the toughest tasks in football. The Cats' clinical nature and experience suggest they are well-placed to capitalise on any fatigue in the Power ranks and likely prove too strong.
