Port Adelaide’s Defensive Overhaul Sets Stage for SANFL Showdown Against Adelaide

Key facts

• Adelaide and Port Adelaide meet in a SANFL Showdown at Adelaide Oval on Friday at 4pm, ahead of the AFL Showdown at 7:40pm.
• The Crows lead the head-to-head ledger 12 wins to 10 and won the last meeting by 15 points in Round 14, 2025.
• Port Adelaide ranks No.1 in the AFL for restricting opposition ball movement and No.3 for opposition marks inside 50 over the past month.
• The Power have conceded only one 100-point score this season, to North Melbourne in round one.
• Port Adelaide’s Aliir Aliir is ranked No.3 in the AFL for intercept possessions (59) and No.2 for intercept marks (25).
• Adelaide’s AFL-listed recruits Indy Cotton and Finnbar Maley will play their first State League Showdown, alongside draftees Archie Ludowyke and Mitchell Marsh.
• Port Adelaide’s defensive improvement follows the appointment of six new assistant coaches, including backline coach Luke Webster.

A Tale of Two Showdowns

Adelaide will be looking to secure a third-straight win when it faces Port Adelaide in a SANFL Showdown at Adelaide Oval on Friday afternoon. The match is a curtain raiser to the clubs’ AFL Showdown, which will kick off on Friday night at 7:40pm. The Crows lead the head-to-head ledger 12 wins to 10, and claimed a 15-point win against Port Adelaide the last time the two teams met in Round 14, 2025. For Adelaide, the State League clash offers a chance to build momentum before the senior side takes the field.

Port Adelaide’s Defensive Resurgence

Port Adelaide will enter Friday night's Showdown with a significantly improved defensive game that has the ability to freeze out Adelaide's star forwards if the Power's run of form continues. Josh Carr's team has quietly built a defensive structure this season that ranks No.1 in the entire competition for restricting opposition ball-movement and No.3 for opposition marks inside 50 across the past month. The Power have clearly recovered from a rocky start to the season that included losses to North Melbourne and West Coast, with their form-line setting up a highly anticipated Showdown against an Adelaide team that has faced challenges when moving the ball from its defensive half this season. Carr set a clear benchmark for his team during the pre-season and emphasised that defensive standards are where it starts for premiership-winning teams.

The Architect of Change: Josh Carr’s Defensive Doctrine

Carr acknowledged that the Power hadn't been a strong team with its structure behind the ball and contest work, having played a role in that himself as an assistant to Ken Hinkley. But the changes he has made since assuming the top job have been significant, with the Power also ranking top four across the past month for points against (70.8), points from turnovers against (40.3) and time in forward half differential (+8:30). Port has protected its backline by limiting opposition inside 50s, but it has also been well served by tall defender Aliir Aliir, who is ranked No.3 in the AFL for intercept possessions (59) and No.2 for intercept marks (25), with St Kilda's Callum Wilkie leading both categories this season.

Growing Confidence in a New System

Carr recently spoke about the growing confidence his players had in their roles and positioning in the team's defensive system after conceding their only 100-point score to North Melbourne in round one. "Early on, there's a lot of players probably questioning and making sure 'am I in the right position? Am I not in the right position?'," Carr said before the Anzac Day win against Geelong. "I think it's becoming more natural in the way that we're playing, and they're feeling more comfortable in the way that we play." The off-field changes beyond Carr have also been significant at Port Adelaide, with six new assistant coaches joining his panel this season, including director of coaching Andy Collins, senior assistant and midfield coach Stuart Dew, forwards coach Darren Reeves, and backline coach Luke Webster. Webster, who played alongside Carr at Fremantle and spent 11 seasons as an assistant with West Coast, has made a clear impact with the Power's defensive structure and impressed early on with his ability to communicate the new style with players.

Adelaide’s Lineup and the State League Stakes

AFL-listed recruits Indy Cotton and Finnbar Maley will feature in their first State League Showdown, alongside draftees Archie Ludowyke and Mitchell Marsh. Other AFL-listed players named in the team include Charlie Edwards, Tyler Welsh, Chayce Jones, Sid Draper, Oscar Ryan, Lachlan Sholl, and Reilly O’Brien. Skipper Kieran Strachan headlines the SANFL-listed players included in the squad and is named alongside Cam Taheny, Ned Atkinson, Tom Bell, Harry Boyle, Jay Boyle, Blake Drury, Jaxon Bennett, Tate Coleman, Joseph Haines, Dayne McGary, Jay O’Leary and James Richards. AFL emergencies are yet to be added to the team.

The Next Challenge: Converting Defence into Offence

The next step for the Power is to finish off their work, with the team ranked in bottom six over the past month for points for (84.5), shot at goal accuracy (42.5 per cent) and goals per inside 50 (23.0 per cent). While Port’s defensive numbers are elite, their offensive output remains a concern that could be exposed by a resilient Adelaide side. For the Crows, the State League Showdown provides a platform to test depth and cohesion ahead of the main event. With both teams fielding strong lineups, Friday’s double-header promises to be a defining moment in the season for both clubs.

The bottom line

• Port Adelaide’s defensive ranking (No.1 in restricting ball movement, No.3 in opposition marks inside 50) marks a dramatic turnaround after early-season losses.
• Aliir Aliir is a key intercept weapon, ranked No.3 in intercept possessions and No.2 in intercept marks in the AFL.
• Josh Carr’s overhaul includes six new assistant coaches, with Luke Webster’s defensive communication cited as a major factor.
• Adelaide enters the SANFL Showdown with a 12-10 head-to-head lead and a recent 15-point victory over Port Adelaide.
• The Power’s offensive struggles (bottom six in points for, shot accuracy, and goals per inside 50) remain a vulnerability.
• The State League curtain-raiser features several AFL-listed players, including first-time Showdown participants Indy Cotton and Finnbar Maley.