Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks admits his side always want rivals Port Adelaide to lose, as both Showdown coaches touched on the “genuine hatred” between the two teams.
Despite the coaches sharing a friendly pre-press conference hug, the duo made it clear there would be no love lost when the two clubs squared off on Saturday night.
“I don’t care what anyone says, if you can’t get up and can’t get ready to play in a Showdown, you’re playing the wrong sport,” Port coach Ken Hinkley said on Friday.
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“The rival between the two clubs is real.
“Our blokes are waiting to go.
“There’s a genuine rivalry. There’s genuine hatred.
“I’m not frightened to use the word of hatred. It’s a sporting rivalry – it’s not a personal thing in any way.
Boak back for full minutes in showdown! | 01:11
“I think everyone in this state loves the fact that both teams want to get each other and want to get ‘em good (Nicks nods in agreement).
“It’s a Showdown, there’s a lot riding on it.”
Nicks said there was “no doubt” there was a hatred between the clubs.
“Kenny nailed it. It’s not a personal hatred. Tom Jonas and I are solid mates – at least I thought we were,” he laughed.
“It’s white line. We cross that and it’s a battle.
“I think that’s why people love it, why we pack the stadium out, why it’s one of the highest rating games on the calendar.
“We watch Port play on weekends and we want them to lose. It is what it is. We don’t like them.”
Power & Crows prepare for lively clash | 06:08
Hinkley said Showdowns were a “dream” for any professional footballer to play in given the intensity of the “hatred” between the clubs.
“Home and away season, this is as big a game as you get and I played in Victoria and played in some big games in my time,” Hinkley said.
“The Showdowns are the highlight of a lot of AFL seasons.”
The Power head into Showdown 53 as favourites, despite last weekend’s 71-point loss to Collingwood, as the Crows sit winless after two games in 2023.
Nicks said he had no doubt the Power would come out “breathing fire” for the annual rivalry clash.
“But our guys love that, so looking forward to it,” he said.
Suspended Port defender Ryan Burton had already lit the fuse this week, declaring his early animosity for the Crows.
“My dad used to work for them. Then he got the sack and that put me off the Crows. Ever since I was three or four, I’ve hated them. There you go. Started at a young age,” he said on SEN SA.
But despite the clear rivalry between the two clubs, there were two jovial moments between Nicks and Hinkley at Friday’s press conference.
When asked how he was feeling after missing a Wednesday session, Nicks had the media laughing.
“A little bit under the weather yeah,” he said as Hinkley started moving away from their side-by-side stance.
Nicks then reached across to Hinkley and said: “Come in closer, mate”.
“I’ve come good and be ready to go.”
Nicks also appealed for any Port fans who couldn’t make the journey to Adelaide Oval to give up their tickets to a Crows fan.
“For those who don’t want to go, feel free to give it to a Crows person,” he said as Hinkley replied: “No no, don’t!”.
