Finals Rivalry Rankings: Brisbane v Port Adelaide
The 2023 AFL finals collection is right here.
As we swing nicely and actually out of residence and away mode and into the cut-throat setting of finals footy, the matches begin to grow to be extra magnified.
We have now taken a detailed have a look at every of the 4 finals in Week 1 to ship a Rivalry Ranking and all of the historical past concerned with the 2 golf equipment within the highlight.
See the Brisbane v Port Adelaide rivalry score beneath:
Rivalry Ranking: 8/10
Why
Within the early 2000s, this was fairly the rivalry. Two rising golf equipment with two of the very best coaches (Leigh Matthews and Mark Williams) within the recreation main the best way.
A bit like this weekend, the Lions completed second after the 2001 residence and away season with the Energy in third. They met on the Gabba, with the Lions successful by 32 factors. Port then misplaced at residence to Hawthorn to crash out of the finals in beautiful style.
2002 was a blown alternative for Port. After ending prime, the Energy misplaced at residence to Collingwood and ended up having to journey to the Gabba for preliminary remaining. They had been nicely crushed once more.
Their third and remaining finals look throughout these hectic few years was the 2004 Grand Remaining, the primary all non-Victorian Grand Remaining in League historical past. It was fairly the afternoon.
Speak to the Port Adelaide gamers from that point and they’ll say that save for the Showdown, this was the match-up that acquired them going.
Key second
There is only one. The 2004 Grand Remaining was an excellent recreation, regardless of the rating line, a 40-point win to Port Adelaide.
The Lions had been in search of 4 straight flags to equal the mighty Collingwood ‘Machine’ outfit of 1927-30. And with a one-point lead at half-time, they’d each likelihood to take action.
However they pale badly after half-time. Having to play an earned residence Preliminary Remaining in opposition to Geelong on the MCG due to an AFL settlement didn’t assist, and the youthful, more energizing Port Adelaide drew away within the second half to win by 40 factors.
It launched all form of strain hovering over the Energy, particularly coach Mark Williams, whose choking gesture and “Allan Scott, you had been flawed!” remarks publish the Grand Remaining had been epic and nonetheless vividly remembered right this moment.
Key Figures
Mark Williams: An inaugural Brisbane participant who was coach of Port Adelaide all through their finals rivalry with the Lions.
Alastair Lynch: The champion Lions full-forward went out swinging within the Grand Remaining and acquired a 10-match suspension on three counts of putting Port defender Darryl Wakelin. Not that he ever served it as a result of the 2004 Grand Remaining was his final recreation.
Martin Pike: Within the days after the Grand Remaining, Shane Wakelin, who performed for Collingwood, went into bat for his twin brother and criticised Lynch for his actions. This prompted Lynch’s teammate Pike to ring journalist Damian Barrett on the Herald Solar to say of each the Wakelins, “They each sleep with the sunshine on and in bunk beds.”
Brisbane hosts Port Adelaide within the Second Qualifying Remaining on the Gabba this Saturday night time from 7:25pm AEST.
